


Agonypaw's Heart

by Goatpaste



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24689419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goatpaste/pseuds/Goatpaste
Summary: Agonypaw, the newest apprentice of Gloryclan. her great grandfather was one of the greatest leaders of the clans, her grandmother a mighty warrior and her mother a legend. generation on generation of story makers. Agonypaw fears she will never live up the the family name and get left in the dust.Her mentor, Tranquilstorm is a dark cloud who seemingly wants nothing to do with  her, Agonypaw's apprenticeship is not going to let her catch a break.the story also follow's Eveningpaw of Loyalclan, a chatterbox made the apprentice of the silent leader Mutestar.And Deckerpaw, former kittypet who's mentor is never around to teach him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This lil Chapter is just gonna be alliances, which will also contain a guide to cats, their families, identities and apprentices and such!

**Gloryclan**

****

**Leader** **:**

[ **Revelstar** ](https://toyhou.se/5807413.revelstar) **:** Large, fluffy red-brown tabby with red tail and paws and a white mane. They have grey blue eyes.

Identity: Nonbinary Lesbian, They/them

Mate: Elmsprout (deceased)

Kit: Algeasnout

**Deputy** **:**

[ **Surlytusk** ](https://toyhou.se/5807419.surlytusk) **:** Grey Cat with a mauve mane, large underbite and bright blue eyes

Identity **:** Nonbinary Bi tom, He/him

Kit **:** Elatekit (grey kit with darker and lighter spots)

**Medicine cat** **:**

[ **Algaesnout** ](https://toyhou.se/5847105.algaesnout) **:** Brown grey tabby with a greenish tint, lighter tail and mane. Bright yellow eyes.

Identity: Trans lesbian She-cat, She/her

Parents: Revelstar and Elmsprout

Apprentice: Wetfur

[ **Wetfur** ](https://toyhou.se/5847077.wetfur) **:** Large grey cat with lighter paws and a large darker silky mane.

Identity: Cis she-cat She/her

**Warriors** **:**

[ **Benevolancelight** ](https://toyhou.se/5814727.benevolancelight) **:** Large Caulico senior warrior with a large white mane.

Identity: Cis She-cat, She/her

Littermate: Prismstar (deceased)

Mate: Sorrowcloud

Kits **:** Humidpaw, Awepaw

[ **Bittertounge** ](https://toyhou.se/5847101.bittertounge) **:** Large muscular yellow speckled and tabby cat with brilliant green eyes

Identity **:** Trans Lesbian, He/him

Mate **:** Coastdance

Kits **:** Bitterkit, Railkit, Tenderkit

Apprentice **:** Humidpaw

[ **Bogshadow** ](https://toyhou.se/5814712.bogshadow) **:** short wide grey tom with black tabby patches, ice blue eyes and plants decorating his mane.

Identity **:** Nonbinary Tom, He/him

Mate **:** Meloncholyspot

Kits **:** Wavekit, Shadekit

Apprentice: Awepaw

[ **Jocundbounce** ](https://toyhou.se/5814755.jocundbounce) **:** Brown tom with black tabby markings and lighter underbelly.

Identity **:** Trans bi Tom, He/him

Mate **:** Pridebriar

Kit **:** Agonypaw

[ **Mudcreek** ](https://toyhou.se/5847082.mudcreek) **:** Brown and ginger She-cat with white spots

Identity **:** Lesbian, She/her

[ **Pridebriar** ](https://toyhou.se/5814690.pridebriar) **:** Dark grey she-cat with black ears and spots and a fuzzy red mane

Identity **:** Trans bi She-cat, She/her

Mate **:** Jocundbounce

Kit **:** Agonypaw

[ **Rancortail** ](https://toyhou.se/5822450.rancortail) **:** White cat with tinted grey patches, yellow eyes and a bright pink nose

Identity **:** Bi she-cat, She/her

[ **Sorrowcloud** ](https://toyhou.se/5814747.sorrowcloud) **:** Light grey cat with white patches and pink eyes.

Identity **:** Nonbinary tom, he/him

Mate **:** Benevolancelight

Kits **:** Awepaw, Humidpaw

[ **Tranquilstorm** ](https://toyhou.se/5822445.tranquilstorm) **:** Mottled grey-brown cat with icy blue eyes

Identity **:** Demi She-cat, She/her

Littermate **:** Daisynose (Deceased) 

Apprentice **:** Agonypaw

**Apprentices : **

[**Agonypaw**](https://toyhou.se/5814741.agonypaw) **:** . One lost eye and one grey blue eye

Identity **:** Trans girl, She/her

Mentor **:** Tranquilstorm

Parents **:** Pridebriar and Jocundbounce

[ **Awepaw**](https://toyhou.se/5822439.awepaw) **:** small Grey and brown tom with a white tail and mane. Their fur is decorated with small dried up dead bugs

Identity **:** Agender tom, She/her

Parents **:** Benevolancelight and Sorrowcloud

Littermate **:** Humidpaw

Mentor: Bogshadow

[ **Humidpaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5822439.awepaw) **:** Wirey white cat with darker face and legs and an orange tail. He has brilliant green-blue eyes.

Identity **:** Gay Tom, He/Him

Mentor **:** Bittertounge

Parents **:** Benevolancelight and Sorrowcloud

Littermate **:** Awepaw

**Nursing Cats :**

[ **Coastdance** ](https://toyhou.se/5847094.coastdance) **:** Violet-tinted with a soft yellow main and tail and blue eyes

Identity **:** Agender lesbian, She/her

Mate **:** Bittertounge

Kits **:** Bitterkit, Railkit, Tenderkit

[ **Melancholyspot** ](https://toyhou.se/5814720.melancholyspot) **:** Chocolate caulico with sad blue eyes

Identity **:** Gay Trans tom, They/them 

Mate **:** Bogshadow

Kits **:** Wavekit, Shadekit

**Elders : **

[ **Maudlinmoor** ](https://toyhou.se/5822456.maudlinmoor) **:** Blotched brown tabby with white tail and mane

Identity **:** Gay tom, He/him

[ **Reflectionheart** ](https://toyhou.se/5814698.reflectionheart) **:** Black she-cat with a red mane and tail, one white paw and heart shape on chest. Her back leg is scarred up and limped. Her blind eyes are glossed over over in a rainbow hue

Identity **:** Bi she-cat, she/her

Parent **:** Prismstar

Kit **:** Pridebriar

 **[Stoneskip](https://toyhou.se/5847086.stoneskip)** **:** Light greycat with white legs and a short brown tail. They have one lazy eye.

Identity **:** Nonbinary Cat, They/them

  
  
  


**Honorclan**

**Leader :**

[ **Greasestar** ](https://toyhou.se/5800136.greasestar) **:** Pale brown-spotted tom with slick back fur and dark eyes

Identity **:** Trans Gay tom, He/him

Mate **:** Avenue

Littermate **:** Yorkwish

**Deputy : **

[ **Batnose** ](https://toyhou.se/5800121.batnose) **:** Pale brown She-cat with dark grey tabby patches. She has a cleft lip.

Identity **:** Bi She-cat, She/her

Littermate **:** Stainspot

**Medicine Cat :**

[ **Rushwall** ](https://toyhou.se/5799654.rushwall) **:** Brown cat with darker mame and scruffy lighter muzzle.

Identity **:** Cis she-cat, She/her

**Warriors : **

[ **Avenue** ](https://toyhou.se/5799729.avenue) **:** Long light brown with short stumpy black legs.

Mate **:** Greasestar

[ **Bigs** ](https://toyhou.se/5799772.bigs) **:** large Yellow and orange cat with grey blue eyes

Identity **:** Agender cat, They/them

Mate **:** Pariswave

Kits **:** Allykit, Nailkit, Powderkit, Gleamkit, Cloudykit

[ **Bottlespill** ](https://toyhou.se/5799960.bottlespill) **:** Black cat with splashed white spots

Identity **:** Bi tom, he/him

Mate **:** Clamyawn

Kit **:** Zincpaw

[ **Brickpelt** ](https://toyhou.se/5799903.brickpelt) **:** Short round brown cat with dark gigner spots

Identity **:** Demi She-cat, They/them

[ **Clamyawn** ](https://toyhou.se/5799974.clamyawn) **:** Brown cat with cream mane and underbelly, they are missing fur at the end of their tail

Identity **:** Gay tom, They/them He/him

Mate **:** Bottlespill

Kit **:** Zincpaw

[ **Cluesplash** ](https://toyhou.se/5799845.cluesplash) **:** White tom with black patches and yellow eyes

Identity **:** cis tom, He/him

Littermate **:** Deckerpaw

[ **Expressohop** ](https://toyhou.se/5799799.expressohop) **:** Brown tabby with a black tail and mane

Identity **:** Trans gay tom, He/him

Apprentice **:** Yampaw

[ **Looptail** ](https://toyhou.se/5799981.looptail) **:** Dark ginger cat with light tail and paws

Identity **:** Bi she-cat, She/her

Mate **:** Ventbreeze

Kits **:** Yampaw, Rutabagapaw

Apprentice **:** Zincpaw

[ **Rubbervine** ](https://toyhou.se/5799694.rubbervine) **:** Long lanky black tom with white front paws and muzzle.

Identity **:** Nonbinary cat, They/them

Apprentice **:** Deckerpaw

[ **Stainspot** ](https://toyhou.se/5799914.stainspot) **:** Diluted Caulico with dark eyes

Identity **:** Nonbinary tom, They/them

Apprentice **:** Rutabagapaw

[ **Steelthroat** ](https://toyhou.se/5799941.steelthroat) **:** Dark she-cat with a silver mane and stubby tail. Scars litter her body and one large noticeable scar lays across her throat.

Identity **:** Bi she-cat, She/her

Littermate **:** Wheelfire

[ **Ventbreeze** ](https://toyhou.se/5800078.ventbreeze) **:** Grey cat with a white mane and tail, they have forest green eyes.

Identity **:** Demi she-cat lesbian, They/them

Mate **:** Looptail

Kits **:** Rutabagapaw, Yampaw

[ **Wheelfire** ](https://toyhou.se/5799945.wheelfire) **:** Dark brown she-cat with flame colored mane and tail

Identity **:** Lesbian, She/her

Littermate **:** Steelthroat

[ **Yorkwish** ](https://toyhou.se/5800102.yorkwish) **:** Soft long furred grey-brown tom with a white underbelly

Identity **:** Bi tom, He/him

Littermate: Greasestar

**Apprentices : **

[ **Deckerpaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5799812.deckerpaw) **:** Dark brown tabby with a light cream tail and muzzle. He wears a green bandana

Identity **:** Bi tom, He/him

Mentor **:** Rubbervine

[ **Rutabagapaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5800096.rutabagapaw) **:** small red cat with white tipped tail and paws

Identity **:** Lesbian, He/him

Parents **:** Looptail and Ventbreeze

Littermate **:** Yampaw

Mentor **:** Stainspot

[ **Yampaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5800088.yampaw) **:** Ginger cat with curly lighter tail and mane.

Identity **:** Cis she-cat, She/her

Parents **:** Looptail and Ventbreeze

Littermate **:** Rutabagapaw

Mentor **:** Expressohop

[ **Zincpaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5799953.zincpaw) **:** Black she-cat with light grey belly and tail tip

Identity **:** Trans she-cat, She/her

Parents **:** Clamyawn and Bottlespill

Mentor **:** Looptail

**Nursing cats :**

[ **Pariswave** ](https://toyhou.se/5799686.pariswave) **:** Pale pinkish cat with white paws and pale blue grey mane and tail

Identity **:** Trans She-cat, She/her

Mate **:** Bigs

Kits **:** Allykit, Nailkit, Powderkit, Gleamkit, Cloudykit

**Loyalclan**

**Leader :**

[ **Mutestar** ](https://toyhou.se/5800437.mutestar) **:** White she cat with a black tail and fading black stripes, she has piercing blue eyes.

Identity **:** Bi she-cat, She/her

Parents **:** Frogtune and Wheatwhisker (both deceased)

Littermates **:** Hummeadow and Songchaser

Apprentice **:** Eveningpaw

**Deputy :**

[ **Waxwhisker** ](https://toyhou.se/5800432.waxwhisker) **:** White tom with blue grey legs, ears and tail. He has a long brown strip down his back and grey eyes.

Identity **:** Demi Gay tom, He/him

**Medicine cat :**

[ **Softheart** ](https://toyhou.se/5800230.softheart) **:** White cat with brown tabby patches and soft green eyes

Identity **:** Demi She-cat, They/them

[ **Thumpbranch** ](https://toyhou.se/5800220.thumpbranch) **:** Brown siamese with a white tail and mane.

Identity **:** Cis tom, He/him

**Warriors :**

[ **Brashtounge** ](https://toyhou.se/5800304.brashtounge) **:** Grey tom with darker legs and tail, he has one blind eye.

Identity **:** Cis tom, He/him

Mate **:** Honeymoon

Kits **:** Houndpaw, Rotpaw

[ **Clearwaves** ](https://toyhou.se/5800384.clearwaves) **:** Light colored tom with mauve and blue patches, he has bright yellow eyes

Identity **:** Gay tom, He/him They/them

Littermates **:** Honeymoon and Mooncall

Mate **:** Loptooth

Kits **:** Violetpool, Heavymurmer

[ **Heavymurmer** ](https://toyhou.se/5800427.heavymurmer) **:** light brown tom with a white a silky mane and tail 

Identity **:** Cis tom, He/him

Parents **:** Clearwaves and Loptooth

Littermate **:** Violetpool

[ **Honeymoon** ](https://toyhou.se/5800292.honeymoon) **:** Beautiful Orange She-cat with light cream tail, she has a twisted backleg

Identity **:** Bi she-cat, She/her

Littermates **:** Clearwaves and [ Mooncall ](https://toyhou.se/5800268.mooncall)

Mate **:** Brashtounge

Kits **:** Houndpaw, Rotpaw

[ **Loptooth** ](https://toyhou.se/5800412.loptooth) **:** Short wirey brown tom with a darker tipped tail and eyes. He is missing a few teeth.

Identity **:** Trans gay man, He/him

Mate **:** Clearwaves

Kits **:** Violetpool, Heavymurmer

[ **Moldpelt** ](https://toyhou.se/5800358.moldpelt) **:** Large scarred brown she-cat with mold growing in her pelt. 

Identity **:** Cis she-cat, She/her

Mother **:** Chickenscratch

Apprentice **:** Houndpaw

[ **Songchaser** ](https://toyhou.se/5800200.songchaser) **:** Grey she-cat with light tabby marks.

Identity **:** Trans Lesbian, She/her

Parents **:** Frogtune and Wheatwhisker

Littermates **:** Mutestar and Hummeadow

[ **Violetpool** ](https://toyhou.se/5800417.violetpool) **:** Light blue grey shecat with a silky white mane and pretty green eyes

Identity **:** Lesbian, She/her

Parents **:** Clearwaves and Loptooth

Littermate **:** Heavymurmer 

**Apprentices :**

[ **Eveningpaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5800246.eveningpaw) **:** brown and ginger tabby she-cat

Identity **:** Cis she-cat, She/her

Adoptive mother **:** Skyleak

[ **Houndpaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5800331.houndpaw) **:** Grey tom with brown spots

Identity **:** cis tom, he/him

Parents **:** Honeymoon and Brashtounge

Littermate **:** Rotpaw

[ **Rotpaw** ](https://toyhou.se/5800315.rotpaw) **:** brown cat with light underbelly and half a tail

Identity **:** Agender cat, They/them

Parents **:** Honeymoon and Brashtounge

Littermate **:** Houndpaw

**Nursing cats :**

[ **Hummeadow** ](https://toyhou.se/5800190.hummeadow) **:** White she-cat with grey patches

Identity **:** Cis she-cat, she/her

Parents **:** Frogtune and Wheatwhisker (both deceased)

Littermates **:** Mutestar and Songchaser

Kits **:** Hornetkit, Woolkit, Sweetkit, Dripkit

[ **Skyleak** ](https://toyhou.se/5800176.skyleak) **:** Black she cat with white specks in her long furred pelt

Identity **:** Cis she-cat, She/her

Kits **:** mintkit, Stirkit

**Elders :**

[ **Chickenscratch** ](https://toyhou.se/5800348.chickenscratch) **:** White she cat with a red tail and speckles

Identity **:** Cis she-cat, She/her

Kit **:** Moldpelt

[ **Snailswirl** ](https://toyhou.se/5800334.snailswirl) **:** Light grey cat with brown back end with light swirly tabby marks

Identity **:** Agender tom, They/them

** None Clan cats ** **:**

**Pidge:** grey ally she-cat with a long tail and black mane

Identity **:** Cis bi she-cat, She/her

 **Shriek:** red kittypet tom with black front paws and tail. He bears a thick white mane and a heavy collar.

Identity **:** Nonbinary tom, he/him

  
  



	2. Agonypaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agonykit of Gloryclan, she can't help but think about her family legacy and how she worries she won't live up to it.  
> Theres also an older warrior who has caught her young eye and she wants nothing more than to be just like this warrior.

**Chapter One:**

Agonypaw

The soft sound of rain hitting the ground was audible outside the den. The pitter-patter like the sound of small paws trampled the earth, leaves, and everything else it could land itself on. Agonykit sat still with her eyes closed, listening. She was glued to her mother's side, feeling the slow rise of her chest as she breathed in and out. Pridebriar, a large grey she-cat with a mane like a warm red glow, looked on at a round grey tabby who gazed back with soft violet eyes. Jocundbound was Agonykits father and a kind warrior of Gloryclan. He had stopped into the nursery to help change out the bedding after the old moss had grown old and damp. With the work now done, he was taking time to visit with his mate.

Agonykit zoned out her parents’ chatter to continue listening to the sound of the light rain, she thought to herself of how Pridebriar had told her that it rained the day she was born, and the pour had continued for a whole moon afterwards. Many said it was bad luck for her birth, calling the spring showers agonizing. The two new parents chose to name their kit for it: Agonykit. They said the name was meant to give her power over the words' meaning, to be able to accept and guide her through the worst of times. There were plenty of other cats in the camp with similar names, such as Sorrowcloud or Melancholyspot. It Didn’t stop Agonykit, from feeling a bit of the odd one out by her own parents' names.

As Agonykit’s thoughts continued on, a large and soft body fell into her.  _ Humidkit _ . The young wiry, white tom was playing with his sibling, Awekit, or ‘playing’ as they called it. Humidkit was more or less throwing himself at his smaller sibling, only to be pushed away as Awekit continued to lay in the same spot, with eyes fixated on something on the ground. 

Humidkit scrambled off Agonykit, who gasped for breath as the weight to her sides came and went. 

“Agonykit! I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-” Humidkit, began, before being cut off by his mother, Benevolencelight. “Humidkit, please watch where you’re going!”

The large spotted queen, whose mass towered over all the other cats nursing in the den, sighed, and muttered something about ‘driving her crazy’, before ending on a small tired laugh. Humidkit softly muttered an apology to his mother before looking back to Agonykit.

“Do you want to play? Awekit is more interested in looking at dead flies than playing, and momma said I can’t play with Melancholyspot’s new kits.” Humidkit expressed disappointment in the last statement “We can play whatever you want!” 

Humidkit looks to Agonykit with large pleading eyes, in very typical fashion for him. If you weren’t told, you'd think Humidkit was the youngest in the nursery based on his behavior alone. However he and his brother, Awekit were a little over a moon older than Agonykit, nearing six moons of age. It showed too, with the brothers taking up all the space in the nursery with their giant monster genes.

Agonykit licked back on some of her fur that Humidkit has ruffled up thinking on Humidkit's request. She was inclined to say no, knowing he could get a little overboard in play. He always had to be leader of whatever imaginary clan he made; it was clear he was ready to start his apprenticeship. Any day now and he’ll be out of here with someone else to keep his boundless energy occupied.

Agonykit began to reply, only to be cut off; Humidkit had disappeared from Agonykit’s view and was peeking out the entrance. 

“Awekit! Look the rain stopped!” Humidkit ran back over to his smaller brother, who swatted him with a flick of his soft tail. “Let’s go outside, we can finally play outside!”

“You're too loud, Humidkit, I don’t want to go outside with you.” Awekit replied bluntly.

Humidkit sat back down with a soft thump, giving a small scowl to the brown kitten, who didn’t even look his way for the exchange. Humidkit sat there, flicking his ear and twitching the tip of his tail as he began to think. 

It's only a moment before he perks up. Hopping onto his dark paws. “The worms have probably come out with the rain, we can go worm hunting!” Humidkit beamed brightly with his suggestion.

Awekit was quiet before giving a grunt and standing “Ok,” is all he says as he follows Humidkit outside. Agonykit watches the two leave, followed by Jocundbound, who had given his goodbyes to Pridebriar. The sound of Melancholyspot’s two young kits started up as they woke. The sound of the small dark kits could be heard behind Pridebriar, where Agonykit couldn’t see. Only hearing Melancholyspot mutter to their kits, the tom was probably ushering the young Wavekit and Shadekit to her belly so they could eat. 

“Why don’t you go out with them dear.” Pridebriar suggested seemingly out of nowhere. Agonykit glanced up to her mother and gave a small frown. She didn’t want to go outside, she wanted to stay with her mother. Pridebriar only gave a single laugh, coming from deep within her chest, as she leaned down to Agonykit, promptly nuzzling her daughter gently. “Come on now my little chick, the rain has stopped and you’ve been cooped in here all day. Go out and play before the rain comes back.” 

Using her dark muzzle, Pridebriar helped push Agonykit to her feet, placing one affectionate lick on her check. “Now go on, I'm sure your cousins are getting into trouble, and you need to watch out for them. They’re almost apprentices, and you need to make sure they don’t get too full of themselves.” Her mother’s face formed into a warm and encouraging look with a hint of teasing.

“That request goes double from me.” Benevolancelight commented from across the den, her eyes twinkled with a mischievous look.

Agonykit nodded and followed the fresh paw marks in the ground out of the den, feeling her tail drag heavily against the ground.

Exiting the den, the heavy damp air clung to her fur, causing her to shiver at the uncomfortable feeling. The floor below was muddy and cool, with Agonypaw trying her best to avoid any puddles of water that had collected. She glanced towards the nursery’s entrance, a hole in the side of the solid muddy wall propped up by sticks and stones. It sagged slightly from the rain, sure to be touched up soon by warriors on duty. Agonykit lingered her gaze on the den before Humidkit called her name loudly from across camp, causing her to give an exhausted sigh. He was perched up on the wall of the camp, which was a few tail-lengths high, and had a second wall on top built with thick bark, sticks, rocks and mud. It had remained like this for many moons, with the clan modelling it after the beavers' own home, which existed farther downstream.

Humidkit seemed to be trying to crawl to the top of the walls, while Awekit stayed on the ground below, doing as her brother suggested and scooping up worms from the soggy earth. Awekit looked up at Agonykit, her mane full of mud and.. worms. The slimy creatures squirmed to get out of the fur and back to the ground, but Awekit seemed unfazed by the mess she was paws deep in. Agonykit shakes a shiver of disgust from her spine and looks back to Humidkit scrambling to the top of the pile. Her cousin balanced his paws on the branches that jutted out from the wall, Humidkit seemed focused on his task.

“Look at that, Prismstar’s skills really shine in those kiddos, eh?” Said a warrior not far off, it was Mudcreek, a small warm brown she-cat, who gazed directly at the three kits without any embarrassment of being caught staring. Sat next to her was a much larger tabby she-cat, Algeasnout, the clan medicine cat, who shot her yellow eyes away when Agonykit looked over to them. “Such adventurous spirits, and they look so much like him. I wonder who they’re going to give Humidkit and Awekit to as an apprentice. Should be soon, hm?”

Algeasnout only gave a quiet nod, replying something in a tone much quieter, where Agonykit couldn’t listen in.

They were talking about her and the other kits’ kin, Prismstar. He was Agonykit’s grandfather, and the other two’s uncle. Agonykit had grown up on stories of the late tom. He was a beloved leader and everyone in Gloryclan had known him well. He died saving the lives of apprentices, and all nine of his lives had rich stories of the grand tasks he did for his clan. Agonykit’s grandmother, Reflectionheart, Prismstar’s daughter. She was currently retired to the elder den due to age and an lame leg, was known for being a great successor for his blood. She was one of the best mentors in recent Gloryclan tales, with her even being the former mentor of the current leader. Now she acted as a storyteller for the clan's rich history.

As for Pridebriar, her own mother. She was a powerful and beloved warrior who fought off rouges and dogs, but was better known for being herself. She told her family and clan how she saw her own identity, and that she wouldn’t lie to herself about her identity to hold up this idea of the ‘perfect grandson’. She was a shining story of self love, romance and bravery. 

Then there was Humidkit and Awekit’s mother, Benevolencelight, sister to Prismstar from a younger litter. Benevolencelight was one of the largest and most beautiful warriors currently in the clan. Stories of her hunts and ability to make peace were well-known, with her image not falling far from her brother’s.

The youngest generation to date being, Agonykit and her cousins. The young she-kit knew everyone was looking at them as the ‘new generation’ of Prismstar's legacy. They were looking for new heroes, and many new stories.

“Agonykit! Come on!” Humidkit cut off her thoughts as her cousin, still climbing, shouted down, beckoning for her to follow. 

Agonykit looked up the tall, steep wall, seeing that since it was damp with rain, the mud squished out slightly under the weight of Humidkit. It shifted and moved as he went higher. Agonykit lifted a paw to step back, but when she looked back, she saw Mudcreek and Algeasnout still talking to one another, their tails and whiskers twitching as they chittered excitedly.

They were going to keep talking about them. That would never change.

The soft mud below her paws slides as Agonykit pushes off the ground with a strong leap, latching onto the dirt wall. She began to climb up, digging claws into roots and rocks as she stressed her paws to keep hold. Soon she was at the top, facing the dam-like barrier built by the clan. Humidkit was currently trying to cling his whole body onto one large rock logged into the dam's wall.

Agonykit placed a front leg onto a branch that extended from the wall, slowly pushing down on it. Once she deemed it durable, she started climbing up after her cousin. From branch to stone to a muddy foothold, she finds a rhythm and gains speed on Humidkit. She was almost there!

_ Just one more leap and I’ll be with him, _ she thought proudly to herself.

Suddenly Humidkit vanished over the edge. Humidkit had made the last push and pulled himself to the top of the wall out of sight. Agonykit stared up to where he was only moments ago, before looking at the two older cats, both cheering for Humidkit. She hadn’t realized how close they were to the top, her focus being on catching up to him.

With a soft thud, Agonykit placed her forehead against the wall, feeling her shame warm her fur before being countered by the coolness of the damp building material. She breathed in, holding her breath for a moment, before releasing. 

She gave one more push off the branch, finding footing on the top of the wall with Humidkit. The wiry older kitten hardly noticed her as he looked down on the other side of the wall in a trance. Agonykit peeked over to see the trench that drained out water from the higher ground away from camp.

The small stream carried small twigs, leaves, and other bits of the forest that had been collected by the rain.

“Isn’t this cool, Agony? Look at all this stuff!” Humidkit said with great excitement, his ears wiggling slightly as they did every time he got excited like this. He couldn't even begin to have realized that he had won some sorta race Agonykit had made up in her head.

Agonykit slightly tilted her head, watching the leaves float by, not understanding what had the white tom so excited. It was then she saw it. Humidkit nudged her attention to a raft of leaves floating their way. It was a small barge-like structure made of the foliage. It formed a solid flat surface, and atop the pile was a small brown frog who sat calmly as it floated slowly down the trench.

When the creature made its voyage past and was out of sight, Humidkit locked eyes with Agonykit, she swore she could see his fur tingle with excitement.

“Did you see that!? It was a frog! He was just sitting there and everything.” Humidkit went on about this small encounter. Agonykit felt her muzzle twitch a bit in amusement. It was a fine encounter, but Humidkit was acting like a StarClan cat themselves had come down and licked him on the nose.

“Frog?”

Agonykit nearly jumped off the wall as Awekit had suddenly appeared between her and Humidkit. The small grey tom, whose ring of fur around her neck was covered in mud, twigs, and worms, looked around in the canal.

“Sorry, Awekit. The frog already went by.” Her brother replied sympathetically 

Awekit’s ears slightly folded forward with a look of disappointment, and she flopped down into a sit. The three of them now rested on top of this wall, watching the water and counting leaves for minutes. That is, until they heard the distant sound of cats welcoming each other, knowing a hunting patrol just returned. It was led in by the large orange-speckled she-cat, Bittertongue, who was Coastdance’s mate. Behind him were Rancortail and Revelstar.

Humidkit perked up and began to whisper as he pointed to the mass of the large red-brown tabby that was their leader, Revelstar. A boisterous leader who you just wanted to cheer for, they were a great leader, and the successor to Prismstar. Anyone could agree that Revelstar was the best choice for leader after Prismstar that wasn't his kin, truly embodying everything a leader should stand for. A powerful energy carried in their strides, a great hunter and a kind soul, Prismstar would be proud. At least that's what Agonykit here's all the time from the warriors.

Humidkit was beginning to ramble as he tended to, going on about all the typical things cats would say when they saw Revelstar. She’d heard this rant over a hundred times. 'Their super cool, look at that big catch they made, ect.'

While trying to ignore him, Agonykit instead noticed the cat who was laid out underneath a bit of cover protecting a dry patch of ground. She nearly jumped out of her fur as she noticed the shadow covered cat, not recognizing her at all. Agonykit could claim to know everyone in the clan, but somehow she had no idea who this cat was. 

When Revelstar gave the cat a nod and showed no concern, Agonykit let her fur lay back down. They were a large mottled brown cat with a large thick coat, and two of the brightest blue eyes Agonykit ever had seen. When they turned their head to watch Revelstar walk past, she could see the large muscles in her shoulders shift. This mysterious cat was like a large, scary, and powerful storm cloud.

“Who is that?” Agonykit muttered, letting the words fall from her mouth as she kept her eyes on the she-cat. 

“Who? Revelstar?"

"No, the blue eyes..."

"Tranquilstorm? Have you never seen her before? She’s a senior warrior, Agonykit. She's been here everyday!” Humidkit berated Agonykit, who cringed at the pile of questions hitting her.

Awekit came to her defense. “Humidkit quit it. Give Agonykit credit. Tranquilstorm is usually hiding or out working. You only know her because you're nosy and won’t leave others alone.” 

Agonykit looked over Tranquilstorm, watching how she seemed to silently move almost like she wasn't even there “Tranquilstorm... She’s so cool.” Agonykit couldn’t hold back her opinion, and could feel her fur warm in slight embarrassment. 

Humidkit gives out a laugh “Agonykit! That's just like you! Seeing some warrior brooding and knowing nothing else and you think they’re the coolest thing. Probably why aunt Pridebriar gave you that name. Agonykit, so weird. Probably why you like those kinds of characters.” He gave a snort and slightly choked on his laughter.

Humidkit continued to go on while Awekit made small comments to keep him satisfied. Agonykit let his voice drift into the background as she began to think of things to say to Tranquilstorm. She wanted to go over and say something. She couldn't help but think how she wanted to be like this powerful warrior. She knew it sounded crazy, since she didn’t know this cat at all, but there was this way she held a mysterious aura over her. Agonykit just somehow felt she needed to be by this cat side and be like her.

Her thoughts, once again, were interrupted when she felt a flick of water land on her nose, splashing onto her face. Shaking off the water, she looked to see Humidkit and Awekit racing back to the nursery. The rain was starting again and the late sky was growing dark.

“Agonykit, please come in! I don’t want you getting all wet.” Pridebriar called out from the nursery with her head stuck out.

In seconds, Agonykit had hopped off the walls to the ground floor. She rushed to be with her mother, skipping and leaping across the camp floor to avoid the puddles. She was a few tail-lengths away from the nursery entrance, when she suddenly skidded to a halt. 

She turned to look at the spot near the den where Tranquilstorm was eating some of the newly-caught prey alone. The frizzy warrior sat still, looking out at the rain that had begun to fall.

“Are you going to go inside? It’s raining. If you stay out here, you’ll get sick.” Agonykit spoke up, hoping the warrior heard her. 

Tranquilstorm took a moment before looking over to the kitten. Just long enough to make Agonykit question if she had spoken loud enough “That doesn’t seem to be your business.” 

Agonykit was frozen, unsure how to reply to take in this comment. The she-cat’s words were as cold as her icy-blue eyes. The two held eye contact for what felt like forever.

That was certainly not how she planned for the first time they talked to go. 

“Agonykit!” Pridebriar called again.

With her name beckoning her, she hurried off, only looking over her shoulder once to see Tranquilstorm sitting still. 

Agonykit felt a wall of warmth as she entered into the cozy den of the nursery. Humidkit was already getting to work trying to bother Awekit as she was back to looking through her collection of stuff she had piled into their nest. Melancholyspot is nursing their small dark kits as they talk calmly to the heavy Coastdance who was once again panting between conversation. Agonykit remembers when Melancholyspot had done the same before she gave birth to her kittens. Everyone says Coastdance is very close to kitting but there have been so many days of false alarms, her babies were never going to come out at this rate. 

Pridebriar was sitting in their nest near the entrance, the moss was soft and fresh from the change her father made earlier in the day. Agonykit softly padded over to her nest and plopped down in the crooks of her mother's for-paws. Pridebriar sweetly nuzzled her and began to ask her if she had fun outside, Agonykit giving a small yes in reply as she tried to think of how to follow up.

Her mother finds words first “Who were you talking to out there dear?” her mother ask “Before you came inside?”

“...Tranquilstorm.” Agonykit thought hard between her words “I think I made her mad mother. She seemed upset when I spoke to her.”

Pridebriar gave a sweet sighed, a small purr rumbled in her chest “Yes that is Tranquilstorm, she was a warrior well before I was. She used to be nicer and liked tobe around others, but that was before she lost her sister Daisynose. Since then she’s been keeping to herself and seems to lash out at others."

"Is she sad?"

"I think she is. That kind of loss can change cats, but we should still try to respect her. Thank her when she brings home dinner to fill out bellies when she lets you, even if she seems cold every cat deserves to know their appreciated for their work.”

Agonykit laid her cheek on her mother's leg “I like Tranquilstorm...”

“Is that so, Dear?” Pridebriar purred

“She seems really cool, I want to be like her.” Agonykit said, punctuating with a yawn.

“Mm well I don’t see why you can't love.” Soothing motherly licks to Agonykit’s head. She could hear Coastdance and Melancholyspot muttering to each other, the youngest kits mewls to their parent. Humidkit whispers to, what Agonykit could only assume was Awekit pretending to sleep. The noises Agonykit had grown used to hearing as she drifted off every night.

Agonykit felt herself drift off to sleep.

That night Agonykit had a familiar dream, she often dreamt of the stories told of grandfather Prismstar. With the many vivid stories often told to her about his adventures she could swear she was there herself. Watching him work.

They said his white pelt glimmered like opals in the sun and his large blind eyes were of many beautiful hues. In her dreams however whenever he looked at her, dragging his eyes her way and facing her; she could never see the colors of his eyes. His large round eyes would always shine brightly onto Agonykit like a spotlight.

Tonight was different however, When she dreamed of Prismstar up upon his leader's perch sat beside him was his daughter, Agonykit's mother, even Benevolancelight and her kits. Next to Prismstar himself sat a broad light brown mottle she-cat. In her dreams Prismstar always was up there with some or all of their family, looking down to her far far below.

Tonight he doesn't look down at Agonykit, instead the mysterious brown she-cat did, with two familiar blue eyes. They pierced into Agonykit all the way from the far up perch. 

It's moments before the grey cat looks away and seems to look at something else; the blue eyes turning bright and blinding. With the concentrated attention off of her, Agonykit realizes the tickle of water rising up her legs. With a look down to the slow rising water she looks around panicked. The water that came from seemingly nowhere was rising so fast, Agonykit was going to drown!

It's then that she spots the image of Tranquilstorm. She stands perfectly still like a statue, her blue eyes seem to melt and roll down her face like small streams pouring endlessly to the floor. The water was flowing from Tranquilstorm. She is looking up at the brown she-cat, the two make eye contact and stare silently. 

Water continues to rise as the sound of muffled distance yelling begins. Agonykits heart races and her fur tingles as she doesn’t know what to do. She couldn’t move or find her voice, she was unable to capture the attention of any of the cats here. 

Then as Tranquilstorm’s, shape moves to let out a yowl of distress, Agonykit awakens. The sound of the she-cats yelling rings in her ears. 

A dream, Agonykit had almost forgotten it was a dream. It felt so scary that the shock still caused her to shiver in the waking world. Outside was still dark, the rain had stopped and you could hear the sound of the many bugs and small animals out in the woods awake. She laid her head back down into her mother's warmth and only wondered if Tranquilstorm ever moved from that spot. 

Many days have passed since the last time it rained. On the first full day of sunshine Coastdance gave birth to her kittens, they have gone unnamed so far but she had heard them mention the idea of Crabkit. Melancholyspot’s kits while still much younger were getting into everyone's business as they wanted to ask a million questions to anyone new who came by the nursery. 

The nursery has also began to feel a little Lonely since Humidkit and Awekit, Now apprentices Humidpaw and Awepaw had moved out with their mother. Humidpaw was given to Bittertounge, Coastdance’s mate who was full of fresh excitement after his mates kittens were born. Humidpaw and him matched well and worked very hard. Humidpaw expressed greatly enjoying working with him and Agonykit only heard good things about Humidpaws training when Bittertounge came to spend time with his mate. They say Humidpaws getting real good at crab hunting, but Agonykit knew it was became Bittertounge was taking him crab hunting a lot only because crab was Coastdance’s favorite thing to eat.

Awepaw was given to Bogshadow, the two were two peas in a pod to say the least. Agonykit couldn’t say if the two were doing well because, well neither spoke a whole lot. Awepaw was always quiet and more interested in collecting dead bugs and bones that interacting with others. Bogshadow was just about the same except less collecting of dead stuff. There haven't been any complaints from either mentor or apprentice so Agonykit could only assume things were going well. 

As for things for herself and Tranquilstorm, well lets just say its been like talking to a wall. Agonykit has tried bringing her prey, asking if she needs anything or if she has any stories from her apprenticeship. Everytime Tranquilstorm either simply tells her to buzz off or that she’s too tired to talk or do anything. Which in turn Agonykit mother always tells her that Tranquilstorm is just working hard so she probably just is tired, but Agonykit knows her mother is just sparring her feelings. Agonykit had been watching the she-cat long enough to see she isn’t very nice to anyone but Revelstar who as far as Agonykit can tell she is only putting on a face for their leader. 

This time was going to be different! At least that's what Agonykit was saying to herself as she approached Tranquilstorm once again. Vole in mouth and her chest puffed out making sure she looked confident as she could.

“Go away kid I already got something from the pile to eat. I don’t want your scraps.” The deep raspy voice attempted to sting at Agonykit’s spirit. Luckily her spirit had thick skin.

Agonykit Ignores Tranquilstorm, a cat nearly three times her size who watched as she plopped down across from the brown she-cat and promptly took a large bite from her prey. There's a hint of those cold blue eyes squinting at Agonykit in clear annoyance. 

“Must you eat here?” Tranquilstorm asked her tail gesturing to the nearly empty camp around the corner as everyone was in the shade of the den or out on some form of patrol. 

“I like this.” Agonykit lied, she would have preferred to sit up near the wall getting to watch over the camp. This spot was tucked away nearly hidden behind the nursery. You could hardly see anything from here. “Mom said I could come out and sit by myself to eat if I wanted to.” Agonykit ends her sentence in a ‘as a matter of fact’ nod.

“Right…” Tranquilstorm pulls her own prey close and returns to eating. 

Now that Agonykit was here she struggled to find things to say or ask. Tranquilstorm was intimidating and she was amazed that she got this far with her. Agonykit tried to think of something she knew about Tranquilstorm, silently chewing on bite.

“Whos Daisynose?”

Tranquilstorm stops eating, and Agonykit believes she heard her choke on the scrap of meat, The brown she-cat is silent for a bit, Agonykit almost worried if she’d stop breathing. Why did she ask that? What could possibly have compelled her to ask that? 

“My sister.”

“Oh... I uh, don't have siblings. Just Humidpaw and Awepaw and now they're so busy with apprentice duties I dont have anyone to play with. Melancholyspots kits are too annoying. Did you and your sister train together? Was she a good warrior?”

Tranquilstorm is quiet again, mulling over her words again and again meeting the minimum requirement for a conversation “Yes, but I can say she was also a fool. Now please be quiet, I'm trying to eat” Tranquilstorm was starting to get annoyed. Agonykit was trying hard to think of things that wouldn’t make her snap.

Agonykit chews on the bit of meat that sat between her teeth “Mom said you were a warrior before she was even an apprentice, Did you know Prismstar? Was he really as cool as everyone says?”

Tranquilstorm huffs and suddenly stands “I’m done eating you can have the rest.” She exits the shade and walks away. There she left a half eaten snake. Agonykit’s stomach was too tied up in knots from the adrenaline she felt after finally getting Tranquilstorm to talk to her to even finish her own vole. 

It’s moments later that Tranquilstorm walks by again, she's accompanied by Revelstar and Deputy Surlytusk whose sides had begun to grow swollen. The Nursing cats have been whispering about the deputy a lot recently. Gloryclan was certainly going to be seeing a string of apprentices here in the near future.

Agonykit couldn’t hear what Revelstar was saying to Tranquilstorm as they walked by, Tranquilstorm giving Agonykit a look over before disappearing out of the camp's main exit. The way She looked at Agonykit was strange, and odd thing to point out was that she didn’t look mad. Despite the conversation moments ago that seemed to upset her she seemed fine. Perhap going on Patrol and keeping busy were the only things that brought her joy. It was all Agonykit ever saw her put effort into, she never wanted to spend time with others, apparently never goes to gatherings and if she can she will pawn the duties of den clean outs onto others usually only keeping her own bedding clean. 

Agonykit started to clean up the prey left over from the two of them. Maybe she would never get Tranquilstorm to like her, she wasn’t even sure why she wanted her to be liked so bad. 

“Agonykit!” Came a yell. In came Humidpaw and Awepaw with their mentors. Humidpaw raced over and pounced on Agonykit playfully “Guess what, me and Awe went to spar today and I totally kicked tail!” Humidpaw announced proudly and quite loudly to the whole camp.

“I won.” Awepaw said suddenly with her face close to theirs.

“Ok yes technically Bogshadow said you would have won that fight. However Bittertounge said we were all winners. So I think I did pretty well.” with an emphasis on the ‘I’ Humidkit hopped off Agonykit to give a triumphant pose. 

Awepaw rolled their eyes away in embarrassment of their sibling. Humidpaw laughed and playfully pawed at Awepaws ear. Agonykit swears Awepaw has gotten bigger.

“We can’t wait until you're an apprentice Agony! We miss you.” Humidpaw leans in to whisper “Awepaw misses you to even if she won’t say it.” there's a snicker to the delighted tom's face.

“I only miss Agonykit because she kept you from bothering me.” Awepaw cruel words didn’t match the hint of a mischievous smile on the green eyed apprentice. 

Bittertounge poked into their conversation on his way back their way from the kill pile “We’ll you shouldn’t have too much longer to wait, from what I've heard Revelstar has already picked you out a mentor Agonykit.” With a purr and skip in his step Bittertounge was gone, having disappeared into the nursery. His entrance followed by the sound of many mewling kittens. 

This news had Agonykit wondering, who would Revelstar pick for Agonykit.

There weren't many warriors recently as Bittertounge and Bogshadow were already mentored. Coastdance was nursery bound along with Melancholyspot, and soon so would Surlytusk. 

Benevolancelight had very recently left the nursery so it was unlikely to be her, but her mate Sorrowcloud could potentially be picked out. Awepaw and Humidpaws father. From what Agonykit understood the warrior was very much like night and day, working himself ragged outside of camp coming home with a full day's work done. Then at camp he’s usually tired and sleeping. It was hard to imagine the small white tom working so hard when Agonykit only saw him sleep. She guessed having a mentor that worked hard wouldn’t be so bad, but working so hard she wasn’t awake at home seemed like no fun.

Agonykit could cross off Rancortail, she was only made a warrior a few moons ago. She was surely too young.

There was Mudcreek, but Agonykit wasn’t sure if she wanted the brown she-cat as her mentor. Nothing against her, she was an experienced warrior. However she was born to Loyalclan and trained as a warrior there before she came to live in Gloryclan. It definitely showed, as she is much smaller than the Gloryclan born warrior. She looked the size of some kits that ran around camp. Plus she was clumsy as all could be. Often getting stuck in the mud or spending a lot of time in the medicine cat den because another something out on patrol bit, pinched or looked at her weird. 

As Agonykit tried to consider who Revelstar would pick for her she hardly noticed her mother had come over, surprising Agonykit with a well intentioned lick. 

“Sweetheart if you don’t mind.” She gives a single nod over the nursery pointing out Melancholyspot and their kits, the caulico tom looked simply exhausted as one of their dark kittens crawled up their back “Would you mind just taking Wavekit and Shadekit around camp for a bit, Melancholyspot would surely appreciate it.”

Agonykit sighed, she didn’t really want to if she was honest. Though she couldn’t blame the tired tom, their kittens were like that of hyperactive squirrels. If something or someone could be climbed on they were on it. If it can be chewed, they’ve chewed it. If it can be asked they will ask it at least twenty times over. 

“Ok mother.”

Pridebriar gave a nod to Melancholyspot across the clearing, a wave of relief washed over the brown tom. They softly mutter to their kittens with a nod to Agonykit. The two dark pelt perked up and turned heel right to Agonykit.

It’s mere seconds before one has promptly launched itself right onto her back. Small claws pushed down by the weight of the smaller kitten’s body. Looking down she sees the kit with the light grey underbelly, Wavekit. Presuming this meant Shadekit was attached to her back and not some small rat. It was hard to tell the difference; some days she thought to herself about the young stretched out black kittens whose small claws and loud squeaks of excitement pierced her back and ears. 

“Hiya Agonykit! Pappa said we could play with you! They said that you were going to show us around and I was thinking we could play games while we did that. I think it would make it way more fun.” Wavekit continued to speak rapidly as Shadekit then began to speak directly into Agonykits other ear as if trying to contribute to Wavekit’s comments. It was hard to make out what either kitten was saying, it sounded like a list of games to play.

The group of three wandered around the camp, Agonykit trying to just point and explain stuff while the two continued to just comment loudly over her. 

They barely cared about being told names of warriors they passed as they were usually just asking ‘whats that in their fur?’ or ‘how did they get that scar?’ not in a way that they were asking anyone in hopes of an answer, just seemed to be letting their words go wherever the winds may take them. 

The only time they ever took five seconds to step off of Agonykit’s back and be quiet was at the elders den. They quietly listened to grandma Reflectionheart’s stories while they watched Maudlinmoor fall asleep mid sentence. Which seemed to be very amusing to them as the third elder Stoneskip would, with annoyance, wake up Maudlinmoor after they began to snore. This became a cycle of Maudlingmoor falling asleep again and Stoneskip growing mad and waking them up, all which the two young kits found quite funny. 

Agonykit worried that their outing around camp would last forever until she heard Revelstar’s voice ring out through camp.

“All cats older than 5 moons may gather for an important announcement!” The call sent a shiver down Agonykits spine as one of the kits scurried down her gray pelt. Finally she was free of the loudest kits the clans had ever known.

The two small dark bodies quickly departed from Agonykits space and rushed over to their father. Agonykit herself sat herself beside her cousins. The two glanced over to her, Humidpaw just kept away and back at her with his blue-green eyes, clearly over excited by the call of the meeting. Peeking over the crowd she spotted her parents who sat close together, looking right back at her with a warm glow to their demeanor. 

To Revelstar she finally brought her attention, the large red-brown leader was perched high up on the tallest part of the wall that lined over her sleep quarters. She was perfectly framed by a parting in the trees that showed the sleepy sky behind her as the sun had begun to dip under the earth. 

“Agonykit, please approach.” Revelstars deep voice full of wisdom and trust rang through the crowd. Agonykit could feel her paws tingle and she hesitated to stand. It was then that she remembered what, Bittertounge had told her earlier that afternoon. Even as she knew she heard her name she second guessed that she heard right. 

The crowd parted ways to allow her forward to the front. Agonykit swear the camp felt dead silent as she walked, though she heard the murmurs in the distance her ears felt like thick clouds. She stood at the front of the group of cats, looking up to her leader.

“Agonykit you are finally old enough to be named an apprentice, you have been raised well by your family and denmates and it's time to make your mark in our clan. From here forward until you have earned your warrior name I name you Agonypaw. May the name you were given guide you through the toughest of days, and may your new mentor help you hone your skills.” Revelstar pauses as she looks up to nod to someone in the crowd. Agonykit gives the faintest peek not wanting to look away fearing it to be rude, but she wanted to know who would be her mentor.

“Tranquilstorm! You have been a great and hard working warrior to us for many moons. You were trained to be an excellent warrior by, Hollowbranch and in her training she taught you courage and great wisdom. You have been with us many seasons and it's time for you to take on apprentice.”

Tranquilstorm? How could Agonypaw have forgotten that she could have gotten her, and it made sense after she watched her leave with Revelstar early that day. Mixed emotions swirled inside the new apprentice. She looked up to this powerful figure both physically and metaphorically, but she also knew this older warrior hadn’t seemed to show her much compassion. 

Those blue eyes grew closer until they were positioned next to her.

“Tranquilstorm, will you take Agonypaw under your guidance and teach her all you have learned and more?”

Tranquilstorm gives Agonypaw a small look before returning her gaze to Revelstar.

“I will, Revelstar I promise that with me as Agonypaws mentor I will guide her to what she was destined to be.” Tranquilstorm looks to Agonypaw her blue eyes holding this unknown strand of kindness she had never seen in her before “Agonypaw for as long as you live and breath I will watch over you and shape your future.” 

Agonypaw believed her, these words brought her great comfort. Tranquilstorm was going to be her mentor and she was going to be the best warrior she could be. 

“Then it is so! Tranquilstorm is now a mentor to our newest apprentice! Agonypaw!” Revelstar rang out.

The clan began to cheer out her name, the sound of it brought her joy. The way her clan mates cheered her on. 

The most important thing to her right now is that she finally was being seen by Tranquilstorm, the cat who’s respect she chased after was finally looking at her with respect. 

The sound of her name, the proud look in Tranquilstorms face, everything about this moment was perfect. 

Agonypaw was going to be a great warrior. 


	3. Deckerpaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deckerpaw, former Kittypet now an apprentice of Honorclan.  
> He is working hard to keep up with the clan born cats, but his mentor is never around and he's falling behind.  
> Plus the deputy won't stop watching him, judging him. His stomach hurts :(

**Chapter two:**

Deckerpaw

Light brown paws hit the warmed concrete, padding after the taller and lanky black tom in front. Deckerpaw could feel the sun weave warmth through his dark tabby pelt, only receiving relief from the blaze when the group walked under the shade of the awnings attached to the brick buildings. It was about mid-day the summer sun blazed right down from the middle of the sky. 

Deckerpaw’s Mentor, Rubbervine, had just taken him from camp to go on patrol around the east sector of their territory. It was generally the place newer apprentices were taken as it had the least amount of activity from aggressive alley cats that they shared their land with. The biggest worry in this district was the solo scrounger and humans, especially the ones coming around with their pet dogs. 

Rubbervine insisted, that with the sun high in the sky scorching the earth, the ‘Twolegs’ wouldn’t be as active. Deckerpaw always thought the term Twoleg was strange, but ever since he joined the clan over a moon ago he’s heard many names for the humans from his clanmates. Clan-born cats using the twolegs, cats like Steelthroat and her sister Wheelfire call them Twopaws, ex-loners like Bigs took to calling them no-furs but they say loners pick up different words from place to place. Deckerpaw, still said humans, which his clanmate usually poked fun of him for, because it's a ‘Kittypet word’ or something. It wasn’t as if Deckerpaw couldn’t disprove that; the few other ex-kittypets of the clan tend to use the word as well. The only one he could think of who didn’t was their leader Greasestar; he used the clan’s word Twolegs. However, his brother, Yorkwish, tells everyone that it’s just for show and Greasestar slips up all the time and still calls them humans. 

Deckerpaw gives a small harsh shake of his head as he realizes he had been thinking to himself an awful long time. His brother Cluesplash keeps telling him to stop with the non stop chattering, and that included in his head, or else he will always have the habit to ramble. It was hard! Deckerpaw loves his brother and wanted to spend time with him, but the older white tom isn’t as into talking as Deckerpaw was. Oh! He was rambling on again.

“Rubbervine!” Deckerpaw spoke up to his Patrol leader and mentor “Uh… have you ever had to fight any alley cats? I've been here for a moon and everyone talks about them but I haven’t even seen one yet.” Ok Decker, now you can stop talking to yourself and let Rubbervine talk, just stay quiet for five minutes. 

Rubbervine slows a bit to get in pace with Deckerpaw, the black cat always seemed to have a goofy smiley look on his face that made Deckerpaw feel good. Rubbervine was a good friend and had been training him under his wing for just about as long as he had been apart of the clans. 

“Hm, well, yeah I guess I have. Both groups tend to try and stay away from each other but we end up in a lot of tussles with them over whatever they feel like picking a fight over at that time.” Rubbervine tilts their head as if to think. “I remember being a young warrior and getting in a fight with a small group because they claimed to see us stealing from one of their dens. Not a soul from Honorclan was near them that night but they insisted it was me and Expressohop.” Rubbervine gives a nice laugh thinking on this memory. 

“We got those alley cats pretty good that day too, I think even Greasestar was impressed with us.”

Rubbervine’s story gets cut off by their patrol partners, Looptail. The long tail ginger she-cat had been walking behind them with her apprentice Zincpaw. Looptail gave a solid playful bump into Rubbervines side.

“Now that's a lie and we both know it, because I was one of the cats who had to help you limp to camp, flea-brain!” Looptail shakes her head with a friendly curve of her mouth “You two insisted that you stay and fight instead of just walking away. After scaring off two cats half your size, you started to congratulate yourself, and then Steelthroat came over and almost broke your leg with her own teeth. The only reason Greasestar wasn’t mad was because he is also a fool.”

Rubbervine seems to stagger as he seemling trips over something, taken aback by Looptails acquisition. “Hey! You don’t gotta do me like that in front of my apprentice!” he hisses under his breath “How would you like it if I told Zincpaw-”

“Tell her what? You don’t have anything on me ‘Springs.” 

Rubbervine gives a sly smirk and a slight rise of the brow. He stops momentarily to mark the area and look around the immediate area. “Well, I just might tell her that when you asked to join Honorclan, you asked Batnose because you thought she was the leader and not Greasestar.” 

Deckerpaw swore he could feel the warmth of embarrassment radiating from the she-cats pelt from where he stood. Zincpaw who stood next to her glances away and chewed at her lip suppressing a laugh. 

“Y-yeah well! At least I'm-” Looptail is then cut off as she realizes Rubbervine was no longer paying any attention to her. Or, as a matter of fact, he wasn’t paying attention to anything. The young tom was looking up at something. 

Deckerpaw follows his line of sight to one of the roofs above and across the street. Walking above just barely out of sight was a patrol from their own clan, the group carried the familiar fishy smell of market prey. However, the single cat walking in full view along the building ledge was, Expressohop. The Brown tabby carried a large fish between his teeth, his long black tail swaying side to side, an air of smugness to him. He knew Rubbervine had eyes on him, they clearly were both enjoying this game. 

Deckerpaw knew what was to come, everyone in the patrol did. He even heard Looptail give an audiable sigh. 

“H-hey Red, you mind taking Deckerpaw home? I'm gonna go see if the hunting patrol needs help!” Rubbervine was already halfway across the road before the request was even halfway out his mouth. It was a lie; Rubbervine wasn’t just going to see if they needed help, he didn’t even think they needed it. Deckerpaw had accepted that the black cat would run off the moment he saw Expressohop; the two were inseparable. There have even been mornings where Deckerpaw will awaken and not find his mentor anywhere, only to learn he is still out gallivanting with Expressohop from the night patrol. It was fine though; everyone in the clan was so nice and the warriors would take him out to train when Rubbervine couldn’t.

“Damn it Spring, you're walking a fine line with this…” Looptail groans. She couldn’t hide it from the apprentice; he knew she was angry with her mentor. It seemed a lot of Rubbervine’s friends had come to be quite angry with him. Deckerpaw hoped it wasn’t causing him to get in trouble. He had only been in the clan for a month. It felt like he was stirring up a lot between clanmates.

“Seems you can use another patrol member.” The sound of the soft meow behind them startled Deckerpaw. Zincpaw even jumped a bit.

It was Batnose, the sleek light brown she-cat. She carried great power in her haunches and her gaze commanded power; it was easy to see how a cat could mistake her from leader next to their more carefree leader. 

“Batnose! Ah yes, I suppose that would help. I'm sorry I uh, had to get Rubberhose to go back to camp for uh…” Looptail trailed off seeming to not find an excuse to use. 

“Please Looptail, do not lie to me.” Batnose pads over to be face to face with the ginger she-cat, who struggles to bring her gold eyes to her deputy’s own. “I respect you too much to let you look bad for fools. Now come along, we need to finish this patrol, we still have a full day for the four of us.” Batnose is quick in her strides as she pads down the sidewalk.

Their Patrol with Batnose leading gets done quick and efficiently; there isn’t as much talking now beside Zincpaw, who makes a question or comment to him or Looptail. She avoids talking when Batnose looks her way. Batnose wasn’t a terribly strict cat, but anyone with eyes could tell that right now she was quite unhappy. Deckerpaw felt shame knowing that her grief came from him and his mentor. 

Deckerpaw’s stomach jerks a little in pain.

As they finish the patrol they make their way homewards. Traversing through back alleys and vacant empty areas where humans or rouge gangs of cats don’t normally walk through. Once out of the small town area, they are greeted by a strong gust of scents. The fresh air carried the smells of tall pines; the scents of sap and needles along with the fainter hint of birds and fresh spring eggs. A more obscure scent can be picked up from the river. Deckerpaw had visited the river a few times; his first time had been after he was named an apprentice. Rubbervine had taken him around the forest area before introducing him to the town area. Rubbervine had explained that the river acted as a border between the three clans; further up the stream from them the water split creating three slices of land for each group to call home. The thick pine forest boarding twoleg buildings was what Honorclan called home.

Deckerpaw loved the way grass felt underpad after a trip around the city, walking on the hot pavement wore his pads. The soft and cooler blades of grass were most welcomed. Batnose was taking them down a softly used human path, where grass was worn by walking and showed mostly dirt. Batnose was taking the path down the river, avoiding the tree, the grey blue water laced white streams of light on its surface.

“Go ahead and enjoy the water, young paw’s, cool your feet and rest before we take you to the sand pit… I would like to see where your skills lay.” Batnose spoke quietly, sitting down next to Looptail with hardly a noise. Her dark brown eyes lay on Deckerpaw as she speaks. Deckerpaws tucks his tail in close as her gaze makes him feel small suddenly. 

“Come on Decker! The water looks beautiful!” Zincpaw calls out as she begins to sprint towards the river.

Deckerpaw pulled himself away from Batnose’s peering eyes. He’s quick to rush after the smaller apprentice. Watching her long black fur bounce in each stride she takes, she is such a small cat. Her fathers were Bottlespill and Clamyawn, one tall and spindly and the latter large in every meaning of it beside voice. The two soft spoken toms had made themself one loud and small kitten. Deckerpaw enjoyed her company; she was the only other apprentice who liked to talk as much as he did and was friendly. The other apprentices of the clan, Yampaw and Rutabagapaw, are about a half moon older than Deckerpaw is. They're nice, a bit odd for sure. They were a little rough around the edges when Decker had first arrived at the clan, but they seem to have warmed up to him in the past moon.

Paws hit the water with a large splash that washed over the other apprentice. A squeak of joy came from Zincpaw as she scooped water and threw it in Deckerpaws direction in a playful retaliation. The two apprentices go back and forth like this for a few short moments, before coming to remember how tired they were. Deckerpaw flops his haunches into the water feeling the slow rush of water flow around his limbs. The cool water swims around his underbelly fur, cooling down his heated pelt and sore paws.   
  


Zincpaw has begun to talk on again about something; Deckerpaw could swear she told this story to him this morning, something about Pariswaves new kittens. 

Deckerpaw begins to zone out Zincpaw, letting her talk on while he quietly tries to think of anything beside Batnose’s eyes locked onto him. He feels his tummy flip thinking to the way that kind cat's eyes looked at him. 

The water, he thinks about the water. It feels so nice on his fur, especially with the combined feeling of the sun's glowing on his pelt. The river was so nice... and it was a boarder. Yeah, there's two other clans full of cats. The river told other cats they lived here; an invisible line to keep the unwanted out. Personally, Deckerpaw didn’t see why they needed these things, even his clanmates tend to have different opinions and ways of interpreting the borders. Cats like Steelthroat says it's meant to keep others out and mark their territory so others won't come in. Others, like Batnose and Greasestar, say it only symbolizes where they live and if cats need to find them, the river and markers tell them where to look. Deckerpaw liked how they explained it more, more like a big family that just lived in different houses. 

The riverbank across from where he sat laid Loyalclan, a group of cats who were small with long flowing pelts and large paws. They travel through tall grasses unseen and are good at digging for small animals. He’s even heard that once a moon when you're by the river you can hear singing from their land. Deckerpaw had seen some of the Loyalclan cats at the last gathering, an event he had found himself lucky enough to attend already. It had been so amazing to see all these different cats of the clans spending a night of festivities together. While Deckerpaw hadn’t the chance to make friends with any of the Loyalclan cats, he had seen some pointed out to him, specifically their leader Mutestar and deputy Waxwhisker. The two cats both held themselves strong like Greasestar and Batnose, but we're still so different in these small ways they interacted with others. 

Deckerpaw looked a bit down the stream; he can see the tip of the wooden dock poking out from behind a slope. This was where the cats gathered on the full moons, all together underneath wooden structure.

Just a bit of a ways down from that was where you could find Gloryclan. They were cats who lived out in the marshes with mud that can be up to your belly and barely any light. Deckerpaw shivers thinking of a life in the dark and mud. He was also told the Gloryclan cats, many generations ago, were once Loyalclan, before leaving to live in the marshes. Also, unlike Loyalclan, Deckerpaw had the chance to meet a Gloryclan cat. Deckerpaw spent the whole gathering with her; she seemed upset that her brother had left her to spend time with an apprentice from Loyalclan. The tom didn’t seem like one who liked to talk, but Deckerpaw, assumed she liked to listen as she stood with him the whole night, just listening. 

Deckerpaw lays eyes on the far off shoreline where plants grew abundant. It was Gloryclan’s Garden, where their medicine cats grow and harvest herbs; sometimes you could see cats wandering around there collecting plants. It tends to be the same two large medicine cats that came to the shore, but sometimes it's another warrior, maybe two. They’ll collect one plant and apply it to their paw pads before moving along.

Deckerpaw looked on, with no real reason to expect it; he hoped to see the light grey-brown pelt of that tom from the gathering he spoke to. It would be nice to talk to her again. Especially right now with everything happening in his life. Having someone he could talk to that didn’t tell him to leave them alone was just what he needed.

“Deckerpaw!” 

His attention is snapped back to their shore. Zincpaw is no longer sitting and talking by his side, she's walking back up the bank to Batnose and Looptail. They had been calling him, and despite not hearing a word he made a safe bet to hurry up and join Zincpaw up the slope.

He’s quick to get out of the river, not giving himself time to properly shake the water from his pelt, his haunches heavy as he hurries along. Placing himself next to Zincpaw, who gives him a sly smirk, he answers back by flicking water from his tail in her direction. His wet fur was beginning to cling to his skin and dirt turned to mud under his paws.

“I hope you enjoyed the water, we’ll be taking you kits by the sandy hollow for a quick session before we head back home.” Looptail looked at each of them getting a nod in return. “You’ve both been training for a moon now and Batnose is wanting to see where your skills are at right now. It's important to keep at your best; we may be at peace among the other clans, but unlike them, we still have to keep on our toes around the alley cats in our territory.”

Deckerpaw glances at Batnose, the tall, slender, but well muscled she-cat was looking down at him again, with her small dark eyes. The way her lip split up to her nose also made it hard to know how she was feeling; Deckerpaw always felt it made her look disappointed or smug.

The older warriors turn and take lead of the group once again. This time making a b-line for the trees, not following any defined trails. The strong smell of trees that had become familiar fills Deckerpaw’s nose, the mixed aromas of birds and squirrels scrambling from branch to branch. In the distance he could smell the welcoming scent of Honorclan cats. A patrol must have come through this area earlier in the day.

Under foot was the delightful mix of foliage the forest offered, with blades of grass that part under Deckerpaw’s paws, small twigs that gave delightful snaps, and cool dirt. 

Deckerpaw loved the forest; he couldn’t ever imagine himself happy anywhere else. This was his home. 

Batnose soon has led the group to a larger clearing in the forest, where the tree’s have parted and the floor is covered in a fine sand. A small gust of wind picks up grains of sand dragging them across the clearing floor. 

This was the Sand pit, a safe area where the mentors brought apprentices to practice their combat skills for many generations.

Batnose and Looptail walk across the field to a group of flat rocks; the two warriors sit side by side. From the rocks they have an elevated look over the sandy space.

“Alright you two!” Looptail chirps. “You’ve both been training for a moon now, and B’ asked me to show her the skills you have acquired. I know you both are still learning, but we are just lookin’ for a basic demonstration of what you have learned by performing a drill against one another.” 

A Synced nod from the two of them was the signal to start. 

Zincpaw looks to Deckerpaw giving him a nod and an affectionate rumble of a purr. The two apprentices stood across the way from one another in the pit, eyes locked. Zincpaw was slight, and when she pulled herself into a pounce, she compressed even smaller. Her eyes, though playful, are sparking with a ready to go energy.

Deckerpaw pulled his shoulders back into a position to show he was ready. In seconds, Zincpaw was across the field, quickly approaching her opponent with no hesitation. 

Deckerpaw nearly slips on sand as he attempts to cover the little ground he had left between them. Two playful blue eyes are only a few inches from his face as Zincpaw gets close. She makes quick strikes at him with a paw. Zincpaw works fast, getting Deckerpaw on his side in a shamefully short amount of time. 

The black and white she-cat is on top of him, putting strain down on his shoulder until they feel uncomfortable. Deckerpaw goes to push her off with back paws, missing completely as he misjudges how short her torso is. Deckerpaw is quick to readjust, giving another kick with back paws. Zincpaw is flung over his head, landing somewhere behind him with a soft thunk.

The battle is repetitive from here; Zincpaw is quick to recover and get back to him. He can only seem to find himself struggling to get her off every few seconds, not able to formulate an attack plan before his springy opponent is batting ears, knocking the thoughts right from his head. 

Deckerpaw is spinning, his mind couldn’t focus as Zincpaw is literally running circles around him. He was clearly losing this practice fight despite Zinpaw having been an apprentice for less time than he had been.

Zincpaw rears up onto her back paws then quickly comes rushing back down to Deckerpaw. Her full weight was only half his. Yet he didn’t stand a chance, Zincpaw was knocking the wind out of him. Past the she-cat sat the two warriors. Batnose’s eyes are on him.

Deckerpaw feels his stomach knot up and he freezes as Zincpaw collides with him. He lays flat against the warm sand with her two small paws proudly pressed on his side. Deckerpaw doesn’t move to fight anymore; he lays still and focuses on nothing, blankly looking forward. His sides rise as he tries to catch the breath that attempts to escape from him. 

Looptail says something; he isn't listening. His skin feels warm with shame, the bit of muscles between his eyes scrunch and burn as he tries to hold in his emotions. 

Zincpaw’s weight is removed from his sides, allowing Deckerpaw to stand. Zincpaw is talking to her mentor happily, who seems to be giving her praise. Batnose wouldn’t even look at him anymore.

  
  


After the four are all set, they head back to camp, finally. Deckerpaw takes to the back of the pack, as far as he could get out of Batnose’s view. Despite the distance he was putting on himself from everyone else, it doesn’t stop Zincpaw from not picking up on Deckerpaw’s mood. She is by his side once again.

“Mmm, I’m so hungry! We’ve been out aaaall day! Who would have thought today we’de get to go to the river and have Batnose with us… again.” She gives a goofy awkward laugh “When we get home I’m gonna see if dad has brought home any food! He always scrounges up the best things to eat. Remember last week when he got his fang on those trouts! That fed all the apprentices and more!” Zincpaw zones off, thinking of the fish her father, Clamyawn, had brought in. The warrior had a knack for getting away with getting good stuff from the fish market in town. The Trout had been very good, fresh. 

“Hm, yeah. After a long day like today, it would be great to sink into something good.” Deckerpaw croaks back.

Zincpaw nods. “Did you ever have anything like that when you lived with your humans?”

Deckerpaw flicks his ear and looks off in the general direction through the trees to the nearby town and thinks of his past. “Uh, no. Not really. I mean, it's hard to say. I never had much beyond some cans of soft food, but never the full fish.” Deckerpaw looks down at his paws as he walks before continuing to speak. “I didn’t really know my humans for very long. When I was old enough to remember much, I was moving into this house with my human and my siblings, but I wasn’t there for more than a few moons.”

Zincpaw nods “You left with Cluesplash, yeah?”

“Something like that.” 

The two talk the rest of the way back to camp. They are greeted by a cliffside that the Honorclan cat’s have turned into their campsite. Walking along the edge of the cliff you can overlook the shore to the part of the river that has flown into the forest. In front of their path a sturdy rock path winds down the side of the cliff and into the rocky clearing. The river softly lapped the far edge of camp, while the other side is the main camp wall. The tall dirt wall is full of many large burrows, where cats have made their dens. 

One of the spaces on the wall lowest to the floor was where Pariswave, currently the only nursing cat in the clan, rested. She and her mate had their kittens a moon ago. Once the kits were weaned, Big’s would return to warrior duties while their mate, Pariswave would become the full caretaker for their five kittens. The pale queen grooms her largest kit, Cloudykit, while the other four squirm at Big’s belly.

Deckerpaw gave a quick look through camp, until he saw the mostly white tom sitting alone near the low level river. 

“Come on Deckerpaw! Let's get something to eat and see if Yam and Rutty are back yet.” Zincpaw says with a playful knocking of their shoulders.

“Uh, sorry Z, I have to do something first.” Deckerpaw begins to pad over to the tom by the river. “I promise I’ll come find you after.”

Zincpaw rolls her eyes with a spirited twitch of her whiskers as she takes a sharp turn for the kill pile. Deckerpaw quickly walks across the rounded stones, only slowing as he gets close to the black and white warrior. Deckerpaw stands at the base on the boulder of the cat he was pursuing.

“Uh.. Cluesplash? Can I talk to you?” Deckerpaw shyly speaks up to the rocks’ host, his brother Cluesplash. 

“I’m busy Decker.” The low toned return was sharp on his ears. 

“I… It's important. Please Clue…”

It’s quiet for a moment until a faint sigh is heard, and the black tip of his tail pokes out from the top of the rock. This being the older tom's way of inviting him up without saying it. 

Relieved, Deckerpaw bunches up and hops up onto the rock next to the resting Cluesplash. The soft bodied cat is sprawled out on his side against the mossy rock, yellow eyes looking out over the river. Deckerpaw flops down in the little space left over on the rock.

“Alright kid, you got my attention. what is it?” Clue’s voice is gruff and he's clearly already tired of the conversation. Deckerpaw loves his brother Clue, but is well aware that the older tom doesn't quite share the affection. He is often on his own and avoids talking to him by pawning him onto other cats. But to be fair, Clue doesn’t like talking to anyone much, so Decker tries to not feel so down about it. When him and Cluesplash had been pets, Clue had been living at the house he lived in for many moons. Their owner had brought in him and his litter of siblings, about eight kittens including himself. They were there for only a few moons when Clue ran away. Decker had seen the tom was less and less happy in his own home with all these new kittens running around, and despite his clear aversion for them, Decker still couldn’t help but want to befriend the older tom. He was like this cool older brother. So when Clue left, Decker followed. 

Despite having spent more time with some of the clan cats than Clue, he still felt closest to the tom he referred to as brother.

“I think…” Deckerpaw wraps his tail over his soft cream paws. “I think I'm going to be kicked out of the clan.”

Cluesplash ears perk, and he glances tired yellow eyes to his younger companion. “Who said that?”

“No one, not with words… I think Batnose tested me today and I failed. I think she knows I can’t be a warrior and she’ll make me go home.” Decker pushes claws against the hard stone “I just felt you should know; now you won’t have to worry about me.” With a laugh, Decker tries to not make the conversation so heavy. Cluesplash in return is quiet, and he looks back to the river. The two are quiet as they listen to the chatter of cats in the camp and the babbling of the blue-grey water. The sun was tucking in behind the trees as night came to be; night patrol cats were soon to be awaking and taking to the territory under moonlight.

“I will be by your side when they decide, Decker. I promise.” Cluesplash quietly speaks before going silent again for the rest of the night. With the conversation at its end, Deckerpaw would say goodbye and take his leave. 

The sliver of sleepy sunlight that twinkles in through the tree paints the wall of dens. Deckerpaw flicks his ears forward to listen to the many voices whistle out from the many dens, until he picks up the familiar voice of his denmate. Deckerpaw pads over to the wall looking to the cliff top to see Batnose speaking with the pale brown speckled tom, Greasestar. Deckerpaw shakes this off and, in a few strides, he pulls himself up into his den hole elevated above the ground. 

Zincpaw is curled up in their nest with paws tucked under her and some scraps of some half eaten prey. The black she-cat eyes were lidded, as she seemed to be close to falling asleep. She perks up slightly to welcome him into their den. Deckerpaw sits himself next to her, and she finishes off the rest of the prey she left. The two chat for some time, Zincpaw mentioning that Yampaw and Rutabagapaw have been moved to night patrols for the next moon to see if they’re fit for it, and how they just left. 

They talk about their friend until Zincpaw gets quiet and dozes off, leaning her soft pelt against his own. He lays his head down trying to sync their breathing so he could focus on sleeping before the next day came. 

“Here you are lad.” the gruff voice of their medicine cat barks, the she-cat Rushwall setting down a large sweet flower in front of him. 

She was giving them to Deckerpaw due to his recently growing stomach pains. They had been coming and going for the past few days, but just kept feeling like they were worsening day by day. This time caused during meal time, having returned to camp with Yampaw and Rutabagapaw. The sisters had each scrounged up meals big enough for all the warriors while Deckerpaw had only found himself with one lame squirrel. Something must have been off with the critter to, because halfway through eating with the other apprentices he couldn’t find himself able to sit and listen to them talk about their training. 

Now here he is keeled over in pain in the medicine cat den. He really was a sorry excuse for a clan cat wasn’t he?

“You know the drill by now, eat the plant. Go train with whoever takes you today. Come home, and repeat.” Rushwall says with a hint of sarcasm to her voice.

“Thank you.” Deckerpaw replied sheepishly “Rubbervine said he was gonna take me on a night patrol today.”

“Yes, and I’m sure he will. Right after starclan themself come down from the sky and remind him themselves he has an apprentice.” Rushwall is blunt in her statement, doesn’t even look Deckerpaw’s way she throws this comment at him.

He quietly accepts the comment, no point in refuting a comment made from truth. His mentor was kind and quite skilled, but Deckerpaw sees him less and less everyday. Everyday it's like a new mentor. Everyday it feels like he is just repeating the same thing over and over, unable to grasp even one thing. It worse when Batnose shows up, seeing Deckerpaw isn’t out working like all the other apprentices, she knows he is a slacker. She has to spend all day with Deckerpaw just to make sure he’s working as hard as the other apprentices. Then he still does worse, he totally makes her look bad. 

His stomach clenches up in a ball of pain again “Ow…” 

“Come on now, eat up.”

Deckerpaw takes the large flower in between his teeth. The only solace in this moment came from the smell of the flower, his mind drifting off to the shore bank across from their own. On Gloryclan territory where the garden grows. Imaging the large white mane of the tom from the gathering being there. Thinking fondly of the time spent there, no worries of being a warrior, just talking. Things have gotten stressful in Deckerpaws life; he wished it could always be just like the gatherings. No worries just, the sense of community with all the clan cats. No one is waiting to see how good you are compared to others. 

This a harsh swallow Deckerpaw has finally worked down the plant feeling it in his stomach life a rock. It’s a wait until Deckerpaw feels some form of relief in his sides, grateful for the release on his side he thanks Rushwall again before leaving the den. 

Deckerpaw sits in camp waiting for Rubbervine, the sun setting in the distance. Deckerpaw knew and understood what Rushwall meant as his mentor. He has come to face the fact that he didn't think his mentor was as invested in his training as Deckerpaw was. In truth Rubbervine was way more interested in running off to spend time with his pal Expressohop. Rubbervine hardly did his own warrior duties let alone his mentor duties. The only time he saw Rubbervine do anything he is asked is if Expressohop would be able to come with. 

However Expressohop was more dedicated to his duties than Rubbervine, and in those moments were Rubbervine gets left behind it’s Deckerpaws turn. It's never long, not long enough. His mentor spends the time sulking, or trying to reteach things he’s already been taught. Then the moment Expressohop is back he’s gone in a flash. Deckerpaw will be given to the nearest warrior, with luck is one of the other mentors who have an idea of what to be doing. With no luck however it will be anyone else without a clue of where to start with Deckerpaw, often making time spent with them like a field trip. Then there worse of all, and that's when its-

“Hey kid, you lookin’ to go on patrol tonight?” came a voice from above Deckerpaw.

Batnose. 

Now, not to sound like a broken record. Batnose is a wonderful cat, worthy of the role of deputy for sure. She just freaked Deckerpaw out, he didn’t wanna slip up in front of the mighty she-cat. She held herself to be powerful, he wanted to do good by her.

“Uh, yes ma’am. I'm just waiting for Rubbervine to come back to camp…”

“Don’t call me ma’am, makes me feel old, and don’t kid yourself.” Batnose beckons Deckerpaw with a nod.

With that Deckerpaw does as he is told, hurrying up the side of the hill up to the top where Batnose waits. Sitting now in the dark only seen by the glints of moonlight coming through the trees onto her dusty pelt. 

The two begin to walk through the trees, the world grown quiet with the night's arrival. The soft singing of crickets through the forest, warm summer breezes through the foliage and just the hint of skittering of small animals. 

Just up ahead Deckerpaw fixed his ears onto that of a small body moving around. A squirrel is still up, digging up a hole for itself. It didn’t even know they were there. 

Deckerpaw finds himself quieting his steps forward, body moving lower to the ground. He stood still only three tails away from the fuzzy creature, the soon to be prey having no idea they were there. 

Batnose following suit is crouch low next to the brown tabby “Your lined up all good Deckerpaw, but before you go tell me are we up wind or down wind?”

Deckerpaw pauses to take in the question before letting the taste of air in “Down wind.”

“Good, looks like your in starclans favors tonight.” She nods forward signalling Deckerpaw.

In an instant he has leapt out from their hiding spot, squirrel fur under paw in an instant. He’s quick to the kill, biting down on his neck before it got the chance to squirm from his grip.

“Excellent catch Decker! Much bigger than the one from earlier.” Batnose looks down to his catch with a smirk toher whiskers.

“Thank you ma-... Batnose” 

“You're doing well, I see your efforts and they will flourish I promise.” Deckerpaw looks to his deputy “I will make sure you become a good warrior, as your deputy and friend. I promise.”

The kind words of Batnose makes his heart swell with pride, her kind words truly instilled a confidence in him. The two sit in a moment of silence looking to one another knowingly.

The moment is cut short by the intrusion of a third. Rubbervine trots himself over to the two with a boastful demenir in his walk. 

“Deckerpaw! Hey buddy, what are you doing out here? We were supposed to meet back at camp. You could have gotten lost! I haven’t gotten to show you all the forest trails yet.” Rubbervine flounces over light on his springy paws.

“I already know all the paths, Stainspot already showed me…” Deckerpaw mutters sharp under his breath.

Rubbervine tilts his head confused by the muttering “Sorry what did you say Deck-”

“You had promised your apprentice to meet him in camp before sunset so that you would be able to take him on a proper night patrol, but here we are well after the sun has gone to sleep and you're taking a casual stroll back to camp as if you're not in any sort of rush.” Batnose harangue catches the black cat off guard, he only looks back in shock “Your poor apprentice day in and day out gets told by you that you will train him. That you will do your duty as his mentor, the thing you accepted to do when you were given your apprentice. The poor kit even stands up for you, acting like he believes you're going to live up to your work, but you won't even put in the basic requirement of simply showing up to train your apprentice.”

It is dead silent when Batnose finishes. Rubbervine’s eyes are wide with shock; his whiskers quiver.

“I-I-I don’t… I didn’t know that you were- That this was…” He loses his words. 

“Rubbervine, you are relieved of duties as Deckerpaw’s mentor. I will be handling the charge from here forward. Please bring that kill back to camp.” Batnose promptly walks past Rubbervine “Come on now Deckerpaw, we still have a patrol to do.”

Deckerpaw stands for a moment looking at Rubbervine who still is in a state of shock.

“Decker?” is the only thing he can muster.

With shame for his now ex-mentor he looks away and walks past the tom following after, Batnose. 


	4. Eveningpaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eveningkit, a young kitten of Loyalclan.  
> she is fixated on why she looks so different from all her other clan mates and what the deal with their silent leader, Mutestar is.

Warmth, the feeling of soft fur on a round belly. Eveningkit, barely old enough to know her own name, pushed herself up into her mother's stomach. The large black she-cat softly brushed her long silky tail fur over the kit’s back in a comforting manner, Skyleak was her whole world. The smell of warmth and milk filled the air as Eveningkit clung to her. 

Sometimes while Eveningkit layed close to her mother she could feel movement from within the she-cat. Like small paws kicking back at Eveningkit. She had heard her mother mention that these were going to be her siblings and that they would be in the world soon. The idea of there being others in their space was a little stressful. She liked this time of just her and her mother cuddling the days away. Maybe her siblings will wait and she could get a little more time with just her and Skyleak. Eveningkit closes her eyes once again letting the smells of the nursery wash her back to sleep.

  
  
  


Eveningkit was playing with a leaf at the entrance of the nursery, it was about all she had to do anymore these days. Her mother had given birth to her litter of kits, one named Stirkit and the other Mintkit. Eveningkit was allowed to name the latter by her mother's permission, choosing the name as she thought of the watermint given to her by their medicine cat Softheart when she had a belly ache a few days before the kits were bore.

Eveningkit’s, mother had promised that when the kits were born, she was going to be so happy to have her siblings around to play with. So far however it's been lackluster, the kits barely seem to know up from down. Plus with the kits around now she couldn’t talk to Skyleak anymore, she was too tired to hold a conversation with her.

There was Rotkit and Houndkit, but Rotkit got sick recently and lost his tail or something and basically lives in the medicine cat den, and Houndkit has been staying in there with his brother so much Eveningkit didn’t hardly see them anymore either. Everyones so busy recently, and she was beginning to feel bored. 

Eveningkit looks back into the nursery and watches her Mother. Her eyelids lay heavy half over pupils. She focuses on nothing as she is whispering soft words to the kits as they mewl loudly back to her. 

The two kits are painted with dark coats that seem to disappear into Skyleak’s black starlight speckled pelt. Eveningkit sweeps her gaze on her own golden orange pelt that looks like a burst of light next to them. She wondered who’s coat she took after in their family. 

“Mama I'm going to walk around camp.” Eveningkit called into the nursery. 

With her call she could hear the other queen Honeymoon mutter something, having been awoken by Eveningkits loud call. Eveningkit felt guilty in waking the tired queen who had finally returned to the nursery after spending nights with her son, Rotkit in the Medicine cat’s den. Skyleak, whispered something to the soft orange queen before giving a silent nod to Eveningkit. 

Eveningkit, shyly walks off still embarrassed for bothering Honeymoon. 

Going to her typical routine around the camp as she did everytime she found herself in a rut; Eveningkit wandered from the nursery out into the open clearing. 

The camp was a large dip in the earth. The dry dirt walls were probably over eight tail lengths high, the surface of the walls lined with holes dug into them for dens that are covered by bushes, rocks and other undergrowth. Wide ledges jutt out from the wall acting as walkways from the ground level to the higher parts of camp. 

The nursery, warriors, elders den and the Medicine cat den were all structured on the lower level. The apprentices, leader and the herbal storage were higher up. 

The floor of the camp was littered with a few leaves, but Eveningkit has seen the camp so full of piles of leaves once before. Almost piled up higher than herself. The apprentices Heavypaw and his sister Violetpaw spent all morning clearing them out so they wouldn’t get rotten and gross from the rain. The leaves would fall from the canopy that covered the camp, the brown branches when thick with leaves shaded from the harsh sun. Now just past the yellow and green leaves Eveningpaw could see small ribbons of white clouds. 

Eveningpaw makes her way to the ramp up to the second story of the camp. Walking past the warrior den, currently only occupied by a few resting warriors. She walks up the ramp to the higher levels of the camp; she peeks over the side down to the now far away ground below. The first den she passes is the apprentice den, completely empty. Not a surprise as they only had two apprentices and they didn’t tend to stay in one place for long. 

After the apprentice den was the Leaders den, this was where Mutestar stayed. She was a young she-cat who Eveningkit has only seen a few times. She's silent in voice and movement with large beautiful blue-green eyes. She was like a ghost as she walked through camp in her white coat. 

Eveningkit hurried past her den. Not sure if she was even there at the moment, but Eveningkit couldn’t help but suddenly feel shy. 

At the last stretch of the dirt walkway was the herb storage, the storage and leaders den were separated by one of the exits out of camp formed from a large hollow tree. Just pass the storage as another dirt path back down to camp. 

Eveningkit scrambling her young pink paws over the rough jutting tree roots.

The Herbal Storage, this was Eveningkit’s favorite place recently. This was where their medicine cats, Softheart and her apprentice, Thumpbranch would preserve the extra herbs they could safely keep over time. The keeping used as a helpful reserve for when outbreaks of sickness would happen. 

Eveningkit could find herself all that interested in the herbs uses, but she loved the smell. She loved coming in and taking in the earthy scents. Sometimes, like today she would get lucky and one of the medicine cats will be working

“Hello, Thumpbranch!” Eveningkit squeaked.

The small round tom perked up a bit surprised by the sudden intrusion “Why hello, Eveningkit. How are you treating yourself today, miss?”

“Mmm I’m ok I guess.” Eveningkit walks over to stand next to Thumpbranch, watching him work. “Kinda quiet today I guess.”

Thumpbranch purred at Eveningkits answer “Is that so? Now, is it any quieter than yesterday is?”

“No. I Guess not, It's just been so boring. I hate being too little to do anything fun like the apprentices and too old to be curling up next to Mintkit and Stirkit.” Eveningkit leans her head back and gives an emphatic sigh “What a terrible age I am.”

Thumpbranch continues to purr and twitches the end of his tail in joy listening to Eveningkits plight “Well, your not too little to help me with this, how does that sound?” Thumpbranch slides across the stone a few large leaves and another single leaf that has a large collection of sap on it. In front of them is a pile of herbs “Will you help me store the herbs? It's not the most exciting thing but it is something.” 

Thumpbranch begins to pick herbs from each pile and place it in the leaf before folding the larger leaf over and sealing it with the sap. “If you help me with this I bet it will give me time to think of something else you can do.”

With that, Eveningkit promptly gets to work. She watches Thumpbranch and does her best to mimic him, however she has less success; she gets sap stuck on her nose or between her teeth, the bitter taste causing her to shiver in disgust. 

“This is hard!” Eveningkit says with the leaf between her teeth. She is still determined to help “How do you manage this everyday?”

“I remember struggling with the same task myself when I was a new apprentice. Softheart made learning everything so much fun I remember how amazing it was to see her work. How she seemed to know everything.” Thumpbranch tilts his head thinking fondly “It's funny, constantly having to remember that I'm a full fledged Medicine cat and she believes in me to do this stuff myself.” Thumpbranch places another seal leaf into a neat pile beside him before he starts another

Eveningkit manages to get one seal without getting any stuck anywhere on her person “Ah! Thumpbranch, I did it!” Eveningkit looks up with pride to Thumpbrach who nods approvingly.

“You learn quite fast, lets see if you can do another one, hm?”

Eveningkit is back to it. She continues to make more mistakes but is getting more done with no problem. Once in awhile Eveningkit would pause work to ask what one of the herbs did or a question about something else before returning to the process. Nevertheless the two get the work finished quickly, mostly with Thumpbranch’s help. 

“Thank you very much Eveningkit, you did good today.” Thumpbranch begins to place the folded parcels, Eveningkit made onto his well-kept pile. Grabbing a small mouthful of leaves from a different part of the den before walking Eveningkit out of the storage and back down to the lower part of the camp.

“What's that?”

“It’s called Ragwort, I’m taking it to Rotkit.” Thumpbranch’s long coat sways as he walks.

“What does it do?”

Thumpbranch gives a smirk “It will help him feel better. He no longer needs us to treat his tail, but the kit has been laying around a lot recently and has said he feels sore. Needs to move around.”

Eveningkit walks with Thumpbranch all the way to the medicine cats den. At the entrance sits Eveningkit’s two denmates, Rotkit and Houndkit as well as the apprentices, Heavypaw and Violetpaw.

Houndkit bounces over “Eveningkit!” The grey kit was looking in good spirits today. “Are you coming with us tonight?”

Eveningkit blinks as she processes his question “Where?”

Thumpbranch walks Rotkit behind the apprentice back into the den “We’re going to take you kits out of camp tonight if you want to, your parents said it was ok.”

“They said Rotkit can come with us! His tail is doing much better.” Houndkit yipped excitedly and tumbled onto Eveningkit. The two tussle for a moment in this burst of energy before Eveningkit scrambles from under his large paws. 

“What are we going to do?” 

Violetpaw chirps up first “Were going to show you guys a times old Loyalclan tradition, kittens!”

Heavypaw after with a sly smirk of his whiskers “Our dads’ will be there, not to pick favorites but, they are my favorites.”

Eveningkit felt a bit confused by their vagueness but found the older apprentices funny. Looking to Houndkit only got her a shrug and goofy look in return. 

  
  


Rotkit is sent off with the group. The three follow Heavypaw and Violetpaw, leaving in a single file out through the lower level exit. The rough round walls of dirt made long ago by a bigger animal, like a fox or badger. The passageway is dim enough to have Eveningkit struggling to see in front of her two paws. Promptly catching her paw into an uplifted root; she trips right into Houndkit. She mews an embarrassed apology.

As the group exits camp grounds they find themself at the entrance to the forest. Thought Eveningkit has seen the forest trees leaning into the camp before; she had never been so close to the foliage. The grass taller than even their leading apprentices,and the ground still warm under paw even after the sun has dip low in the sky. 

The sound of wind and crickets songs filled Eveningkit’s ears, paired with the rumble of a purr from herself. This was wonderful, everything felt big and magical. 

Even Houndkit and Rotkit couldn’t hide how they felt as they have audible ‘ohs’ and ‘ahs’. This seems to amuse Violetpaw who leans down to her and the toms.

“It’s pretty cool out here isn’t it? I remember the first time my dads’ took me and Heavypaw out, the forest certainly is special.” she closes her eyes thinking in pleasant memories “When you become an apprentice it's like that first time all over again, just you wait.”

Eveningkit pelt burned with excitement with thought of becoming an apprentice one day. Getting to train beside Rotkit and Houndkit, joining her clanmates as equals.

“Come on Violetpaw, we can’t sit and reminisce all day or we’ll be late. I don’t wanna miss dad!” Heavypaw cut off her happy thinking, the young tom was rocking from side to side impatiently.

“Right, right. I hear ya. Ok kits, let's get going.”

With that Heavypaw quickly takes the lead while his sister takes the back of the pack. Eveningkit and the others walk between the two, watching the tall grass part with hush rustles as Heavypaw pushes through them. The colors of the dying sun flashing through the green blades of the field onto his silky long furred coat like bright stripes. 

“Rotpaw!” an excited squeal escapes from Houndkit next to her “Knock that off!”

Houndkit bumps into Eveningkit who stumbles back a bit, now behind the other two. Rotkit has a stem of some plant with a fuzzy tip between his teeth, waving it in his brother's direction. Eveningkit was happy to see Rotkit in such good spirits, the brown kittens shortened tail swiping from side to side.

Eveningkit could still very faintly remember hearing Rotkit crying out in the nursery when his tail had first gotten infected. The medicine cats telling them it was too late to do anything but prevent it from spreading, that he would lose the tail. How upset Houndkit had been, refusing to stay in the nursery with his mother wanting to be with Rotkit. Their mother Honeymoon, up late distressed that them naming him Rotkit is what caused him to get the infection. That it was her fault. Believing she must have done something to anger StarClan. 

Eveningkit was glad her own mother was so kind, she was there for the troubled Honeymoon through it all. Ensuring StarClan couldn’t be that cruel, that Rotkit would be alright and that these things will happen. 

Now here was Rotkit, only a little over a moon of medical care; he Leaps and plays again with his brother, full of energy and life. Though he stumbled from balance here or there he was getting along better than she had pictured he would be. 

Eveningkit gaze trailed down to their paws, Houndkits steady and solid while Rotkit swayed and left prints that shifted on the soft dirt. Eveningkit walks behind Rotkit feeling the way his paw shifted under his unbalanced weight as she feels her own pads dip into the indents. 

_Rotkits paws are so big_ she thought to herself. Her prints didn’t fill the others though he was a bit younger than herself. _I_ _wonder where he gets that front._

Eveningkit glances over to Houndkit’s paw prints. They're even bigger. Eveningkit side steps her path into his trail. She never noticed how big their paws there, the way their paws easily pushed on the dirt as they walked. 

She slowed more, Violetpaws paws prints were huge!  
Eveningkit hesitantly set one of her paws into Violetpaw’s shallow indent. _I could fit almost all my paws in just one of these!_

She hadn't realized until that moment how small her own paws were, come to think of it. She didn’t look like most of her clan mates. Large paws, small frames and soft mute coats. Long swaying pelts that rippled with the tall grass until it became… invisible. Her own mother wasn’t even an exception to most of these things she was beginning to notice...

The sound of small animals loudly scrambling into a tree nearby snaps her back to the present. Eveningkit looks around realizing that the group got ahead without her and she could no longer see them. Looking around frantically she tried to see if she could see or hear the others. No luck.

“Ok Eveningkit, you're ok. I'm not too far from camp maybe, uh maybe I can just go back.” She turned herself around to see the trail of paws leading back behind her “Yes this is the right thing to do, I just need to follow the paws back.”

She starts forward trying to not trip into the apprentice’s large paw shaped divots. The journey back was a bit harder than the one she was experiencing going forward. Without the large bodied apprentices in front the thick blades of grass slapped her coat and the sharper plants tug are her fur.

“Just my luck, this is miserable. Why did I have to go and think about stupid paws? Oh Eveningkit you’ve really done it…” She mutters on to herself. 

It's then during her tangent that she hears a rustle in the grass. 

_ A predator?  _ Eveningkit immediately thinks. Her fur rises at the thought of some toothy beast gobbling her up. She hasten her walk only to hear the soft crunch of leaves somewhere closing in behind her. 

Eveningkit bolts in a moment of Instincts. Her paws hit the dirt hard as she bounds through the foliage, it's no use, the shape is making ground faster than she can.  _ What do I do? What do I do?  _ She thought to herself frantically looking for some sort of safety.

A tree, that its. This creature won’t be able to get her there.

As fast as a spry squirrel she leapt higher than the total of her body onto the trunk of a young tree. Her small claws strain to hold her to the wood, pulling with what small power she possesses to elevate herself onto a branch just wide enough for her.

Her heart races as she struggles to catch her breath  _ Safe.  _ her twig-like legs wobbling with the rush of energy coursing from her ears to her tail. Claws dug into the wood, keeping steady and she listened to the movement of grass grown nearer. 

“Can’t get me now you dumb fox!” she shouted out to the thick grass. 

“Who are you calling fox?” an amused mew comes from the movement.

This confuses Eveningkit, Foxes didn’t talk right? Or was she misremembering again, maybe she talked over whoever told her about foxes. Was this a trick? Was it- oh.

From the grass steps out Violetpaw she looks up with her eyes that formed a look of amused sympathy for the kit. 

“Sorry for scaring you Eveningkit, I just saw you had fallen behind and I came looking for you.” She trots over to stand under Eveningkit “Here I was thinking ‘Oh it's a good thing that Eveningkit’s pelt stands out so well in the grass I can see right where she is, better get her before the foxes do.” Violetpaw stands to her back legs, trying to keep balance as she sets her forpaws on the part of the trunk right next to the base of the branch “Then it seems you went right on ahead and thought I was one, what do you make of that?...Man you got yourself right up this tree can barely reach ya, come over here kiddo.”

Eveningkit slowly walks across the tree limb to Violetpaw, hoping down onto her back with gentle paws. Violetpaw, backs up onto all fours leaving Eveningkit to balance between her shoulders

“Let's keep ya up there, don’t wanna lose ya again.” the apprentice purrs with the teasing “Plus I'm sure you’ve tried out your little paws, I've never seen a kit climb that fast!”

The two get secure before rushing through the tall grass, Eveningkit feeling the breeze pour through her pelt as Violetpaw bounds through the territory. They make it out of the tree line and to open fields only dotted with a few skinny trees. An endless field of rolling grass that is like waves in the wind. Dark clouds raced through the sky whistling with strong breezes.

Eveningkit gazed on in wonder as Violetpaw approached closer to an open patch in the field. The distant sound of chatter growing louder as they grow closer. The field was mostly smushed down grass with large boulders and logs decorated with cats sitting on top. 

Many cats sat around in groups cheering loudly for the few cats who were up and prancing about. They mewled loudly in a harmonious way, each chanting on filling Eveningkit’s ears with thousands of voices all at once. Made up stories, epic tales, even ballads of love.. Some sang beautifully by themselves, while some took a partner. Some sang with less grace but a lot of power and passion even having crowds of clanmates yowling along with them. 

The energy in the field was big and welcoming, it make Eveningkit’s whiskers tingle with excitement as she watched on. 

She recognized many of her clanmates, though not all by name. There were even a few that she knew she had never seen in camp before. There stood between two of her clanmates was a small warm brown she-cat with a white tipped tail and next to her a dark ginger she-cat with a long curled tail. The two merrily cheer for a Loyalclan she-cat bursting out a ballad. Eveningkit clung to Violetpaw’s back watching on in awe as these strangers were behaving so chummy with her clan mates. 

“Hey! Over here you two!” Across the clearing, Heavypaw is heard beckoning them over. Crawling over him as Houndkit and Rotkit, straining to keep watching the cat’s in the center over Heavypaw’s shifting mass. 

Violetpaw plopped herself down next to Heavypaw, Eveningkit sliding down from her back onto the ground. The two groups begin to settle in again, Rotkit and Houndkit pile up with Eveningkit to watch the show. Heavypaw leans his head toward the kits and goes on about how he looks forward to this every moon, his dads’ being the best in the clan to watch. 

In the middle of the ring of cats is a stout light brown tom, Loptooth and partnered with him is a tall beautiful tom with a silky pelt, Clearwaves. These were Heavypaw and Violetpaw’s, often mentioned parents. Eveningkit often saw the two together in the camp, the two were complete love birds. The image of a perfect family, loving parents and their two kits. 

The couple were performing what Heavypaw has referred to as ‘shanties’, Loptooth unspooling these ‘shanties’ for the crowd with some assistance in the story telling by Clearwaves. You could tell the snaggly toothed tom has told the stories a million times, reciting them perfectly by heart with great theatrical energy. Nonetheless Heavypaw and Violetpaw seemed very excited to listen to their dads’ stories for what Eveningkit could guess was the hundredth time, often cheering for their father to hype the performance. The tales are short and campy; one after the other, never losing the high energy as they carried on. 

The stories told of ancient leaders, tales of unlikely friends and hidden evils of the forest. Eveningkit even recognized some of the mentioned cats by name, a few being clan mates or current leaders of other clans. 

After the string of stories Loptooth properly announces them coming to a close for the night with a final story to tell. A classic he claims, one that some Loyalclan cats still know personally today. A story of a corrupted leader and his trail of tragedy he left behind.

Eveningkit feels a hitch in Violetpaw’s chest as she seems to choke on a breath. Something about her father announcing this story seems to have surprised her, even Heavypaw was quiet for the first time during Loptooth’s performance. 

Eveningkit glanced up at Violetpaw’s face to see her flicker her eyes over to something across the circle from them. She follows the line of sight, Loptooth’s voice chirping on in the background seeming to not be reading the energy his own kids were signalling. 

_ Was it?...  _ She looks at the tall she-cat who sat across from them, her fur glowed bright in the moonlight  _ Mutestar? _

Eveningkit wondered if they were the cause for the apprentices' stress, before this moment she hadn’t even seen her leader was there. The molly was quiet as could be and tend to be by herself, Eveningkit saw more of their deputy Waxwhisker than the leader. Would this story upset the leader? Eveningkit couldn’t even begin to imagine her giving any emotions.

The story begins in the background of Eveningkit’s focus, she is now fixated on the cat with the large piercing eyes. The story begins with an old leader of Loyalclan.

Flaxstar.

The story goes on that Flaxstar was a mighty leader loved by many, considered a graceful and kind ruler. Until one gathering, tension between Loyaclan and Gloryclan has risen in the last moons. Loyalclan cats began to claim ‘Gloryclan territory belongs to us! You came from us, you are nothing without us’. These claims nearly lead to fights at the gathering. Flaxstar and Gloryclan leader, Prismstar were there to calm down the masses.

‘I will be speaking to my warriors about tonight.’ said Flaxstar to Prismstar.

No one could have known what he meant when he said this. The next morning Flaxstar took the warriors who started the fight from camp , only his deputy had followed in secret. She learned her leader had been the one to spread this ideology that Gloryclan belonged to them. He told them that they would put Gloryclan in their place and that they would once again be one clan. Horrified over what she had heard, completely in disbelief the deputy ran. 

Mutestar is gone. Just like the deputy of the story she ran from the scene. Though Eveningkit had kept eyes on her, it was like she vanished into thin air like a ghost.

“Geeze dad, he really didn’t see her…” Heavypaw muttered quietly to himself.

The story continues, the deputy runs back to camp to grab her warriors, the clan hardly believing what she told them. The clan rushes to the aid of Gloryclan, over the river and across the dark marshes until they are met with the yowls of a camp under attack. 

Flaxstar was poised to kill, his intent laid on the old and wise Prismstar who’s blind eyes spoke of sorrow over his fellow leader's choice. Flaxstar cared not for how anyone looked at him now, with his goal in sight he went for the kill.

The saving grace for Prismstar, that day was his dear friend and deputy, Daisynose. The brave she-cat taking the deadly blow gave her life for their leader, blood spilled that day of a fallen friend. 

Flaxstar faced his punishment and was smited by a Gloryclan warriors who grieved for their Deputy. Loyalclan lost their leader and Gloryclan, their deputy.

At the end of the day the two clans parted ways, on the final words spoken of a truce between the old leader and the now new leader, Mutestar. 

Eveningkit felt her fur bristle hearing the name, this was a story of their very own leader. No wonder so many looked so nervous upon the story telling.  _ No wonder Mutestar disappeared like that. _

The long night had come to its end, the three tired kittens were placed upon the backs of apprentices. Heavypaw and Violetpaw informing their father of the mistake he had made in his final story and the tremendous embarrassment he showed upon learning.

The group leaves the clearing in silence; only whispers that were nearly silent are made between the cats. Eveningkit couldn’t find enough energy to strain her ears to listen. She only looks off the side of Violetpaw’s back and watches each cat leave behind paw steps. Enveloped in the darkness of the night, the soft sounds of whispering and the movement of Violetpaw’s body underneath. She closes now tired eyes. 

She awakens for only a moment and finds herself wrapped in her mother's forpaws, she is home and tucked up safely with Skyleak. Her siblings curled at Skyleak’s belly while Eveningkit was laid against her chest.

Skyleak seemed to be awake despite her eyes being closed she could tell her mother was not yet asleep. 

“Momma” Eveningkit whispers very quietly not wanting to wake anyone else in the den.

It's quiet for a moment, long enough to make, Eveningkit question if she was right about her mother being awake. “Yes, dear?” Skyleak finally replied back. 

Eveningkit herself is quiet in return trying to think of her words carefully “Why do I look different than the other cats? I...why don't I look like you. Is there something wrong with me?”

She looks down at her bright orange pelt with dark color stripes laying against her mother’s own dark pelt, long and soft unlike her own kinked fur, even her younger siblings blended into Skyleak’s coat. She didn’t look like anyone in Loyalclan.

As if to read her thoughts Skyleaks leans down and gives her pelt a few licks. The warm grooming nearly put Eveningkit right back to sleep. In the morning her mother would speak to her.

  
  
  


The snap of jaws were loud and close as Eveningkit, pressed as far as she could into her mother's pelt, the shaking bodies of her younger siblings pressed just as hard into her own. The group looked on in horror, Eveningkit had spent many moons of peace now in her clan, but now she was near face to face with a fowl snaggly tooth monster she knew well. A fox.

The bushy creature had snuck its way into camp through the camp entrance while everyone was eating their afternoon catch. All at peace and enjoying the new-leaf sun; No one was the wiser until Rotkit had screeched out. Had the kit a full tail still it would have been bitten off by the mutt. The realization that there was a fox in the camp had every warrior in camp on their paws.

New warriors, Heavymurmer and his sister Violetpool were the first to respond. One taking Rotkit far from the beast as they could while the other executed swift swipes upon the cur. Pelts of cats and fox flashes back and forth in Eveningkit’s vision. She could hardly let herself marvel at the excellent percisious of Violetpool’s dodges; as unsheathed paws swung much too close to her space for comfort. 

With the slightest miss of a step by Violetpool the fox gets the upper paw. The creature has its teeth working to get hold of the she-cats coat. Heavymurmer leaps in a panic for his sister only to have the fox violently shake Violetpool around and smack the two siblings into each other. Sending the young tom flying.

“Violetpool!” Eveningkit cried out to the endangered clanmate. 

As if her cry summoned her, a flash of the white flies overhead. Mutestar was on Fox in a matter of seconds. Every tooth and claw she had dug straight into the long snout of the fox. The brave leader clung on until Violetpool was released, set loose from the sharp maw of teeth and straight across the clearing tumbled near her brother.

The sharp painful barks of the fox ring loud in Eveningkit’s ear. The two bodies dance wildly as the fox fights to get the small white cat off its face, every warrior stood back fearing to be hit by their bodies. 

The smell of blood and fear clogged the camp, but despite this Mutestar who clung face to face with the monster was silent. Her bright eyes locked right into that of her enemy as all of her claws stayed fixed in place. She was like a ghost with her haunting white flowing pelt. Everything moved erratically but she seemed so still and calm. Eveningkit couldn’t help but find herself feeling entranced by Mutestar stillness.

“You can do it Mutestar!” Eveningkit couldn’t help but call out to her leader, cheering her on. 

Skyleak immediately scoops Eveningkit close with her paw holding back her cheering. The black paw shaking in a cold fear against her chest. Clinging to her kits desperately, she mutters something of StarClan quietly under her breath.

It's only a swish of a tail until Mutestar is finally knocked from the beaten face of the fox. Mutestar crouched low to the ground trying to regain footing as the fox turned tail quickly escaped out of camp. 

Their leader is surrounded in moments by cheering warriors, notably Loptooth who immediately cheers louder than anyone else. He goes on about something about the bravery of Heavymurmer and Violetpool, something about Mutestar truly being their worthy leader.

Eveningkit doesn’t focus on words as she shuffles toward Mutestar, the leader is still low to the ground not joining the others in celebration. Completely silent.  _ Is she ok? _ Eveningkit felt her heart beat in her ears.

Mutestar collapses. Eveningkit only a tails length away stop in her tracks.

“Mutestar?”

“Get the medicine cats! Mutestar is hurt!”

“Please hurry! Mutestar is bleeding bad!”

Every cat in the camp is chattering; so many voices are meowing over each other. 

Softheart and Thumpbranch are there in moments, flying from their place in the herb storage. The two are pushing warriors out of their way to make room for Mutestar. The fur around her neck was quickly dyeing red. They're quick to work, using herbs that Eveningkit vaguely recalled from her time spent helping Thumpbranch.

Then they stop. 

Mutestar let out one big gasp of air before she went still. Eveningkit’s heart chokes, she slowly walks around Mutestars body to get a view of the front of her. Her leaders' eyes, they looked just as they had moments ago when she fought the fox. Calm, despite the pain she was probably in she looked so… indifferent. The two green eyes simply look forward, almost as if they were focused on something that wasn't there. 

The clan is quiet for their leader, Eveningkit fur tingled at the silence. She had never heard a single word of her leader, only knew things about her from other cats stories of her. Now she laid still, only moments ago fighting for her clan. She knew her leader for many moons, despite hardly knowing much of her personally she felt her body feel cold at the sight of the limp leader's body. 

Eveningkit sits down in front of Mutestar, right in her line of vision.  _ What had she thought before she fell still. Who of StarClan would greet her when she took that last breath. _ Maybe these were morbid thoughts, but Eveningkit couldn’t help but feel her brain rattle on 

As she almost completely drifts into her mind, Mutestar wide eyes slit into a focused look. She looks up to Eveningkit who could only look back in shock.  _ Was she really a ghost? _

Unlike Eveningkit who only could feel shocked and surprised every other cat moved close to their leader, helping her up and expressing their relief for her wellbeing. No one seemed as shocked as she was. Mutestar herself only gives quiet nods and small yes or no’s to questions asked. 

_ How could a cat who just faced death still be so calm? Mutestar is something else… _

Mutestar looked downward to Eveningkit who could only give a scrunched look of wonder about her odd leader. Starting to feel uncomfortable with the silent stare she backs up and turns to scramble back to her mother. Her exit is made even less graceful as on her turn she trips over a smaller body. The lighter of her two siblings was tangled in her paws. Blue eyes looked up apologetically before she backs up out of Eveningkit’s way, the two quickly padding over to their waiting mother. 

The feeling of her mother's tail enveloping her brought great comfort. 

“Momma, What happened? Did Moostar- er.. Mutestar! Die?” Mintkit stumbles on her words. 

Skyleak replies with a lick to the top of the spotted grey kittens head. She sits quietly watching the clan cats disperse into smaller groups. Mutestar is escorted by her deputy Waxwhisker up to her den. “She’s ok now kits, StarClan guided her back to us and she is safe. She is still with us.”

Eveningkit’s siblings seemed satisfied with the answer, but not herself. She didn’t understand what just happened, she needed answers. 

As her mother grooms, comforts and answers Mintkit and Stirkit’s multitude of questions, Eveningkit walks off. Following far behind the path of Waxwhisker and Mutestar, Eveningkit is soon quietly sitting outside the leader’s den where she listens intently. 

“Are you well?” Waxwhisker stars, the soft crinkling sounds of dried leaves are heard. 

“...I saw Jitterwing.” The soft voice of another cat replies, Mutestar. Her voice was lovely, Eveningkit wondered why she chose not to talk so much.

“Is that right?” The soft pained hiss of Mutestar is heard “Sorry, almost done…So, how many lives is that hm?”

It's quiet for a while. “I saw Eveningkit.”

“Hm? Oh right, Skyleaks Oldest. Yes she came over when you fell ma’am. Quite the chatterbox, her siblings are quickly taking after her in that way as well.“ he states with an amused purr.

Eveningkit twitched her whisker at the remark.  _ Chatterbox!? _

“For not being from the same root, behavior wise she’s a copy of her siblings and mother. At least when Skyleak was younger.” he sounds wistful “Don’t you think?”

She winces, reminded of the truth she learned a few moons ago. Skyleak hadn’t been her blood, let alone the blood of anyone in the clan. Skyleak told her the truth that she had been given to Loyalclan when her birth mother had passed and no nursing cat was able to take care of her. Eveningkit still happy with her family and life in Loyalclan, not that she had anything to miss. Just this weird feeling of this unknown part of herself, or how she knew the older cat’s probably saw her as ‘not a real Loyalclan cat’. Something like that at least. 

Again Mutestar takes a while to find a reply “She’ll make a good warrior.”

“Ah, yes I must agree they are-” Waxwhisker cuts himself off “Oh! You mean that you think it’s time? Are you sure? It seems quite soon after you lost your life. I’m not sure how the warriors will feel about that.”

_ Time? Time for what? What were they talking about?  _ Eveningkit steps forward, peaking only so slightly into Mutestar’s den. 

She nearly jumps out of her fur as the first thing she makes eye contact with is Mutestars own eyes. That haunting gaze already looking right her way. Eveningkit scrambles back quickly until she’s slipped into the next den over. Wash in the sudden smell of the herbs.

“Hey Eveningkit!” 

Again with the jumping out of her own fur! Heavymurmer sat not far behind her with a goofy and kind face “Came to visit me? Make sure I'm ok? Oh I knew you cared for me more than Violetpool.” he gives a goofy smug face

Heavymurmer is sitting at a weird angle, couched slightly to let Thumpbranch apply something to the scratches along his back “Oh hush, Eveningkit always comes up here. Beside we all know everyone likes Violetpool more than you, she isn’t such a loud mouth.”

“Oh yeah and that’s why you clearly wanted me to come up to the storage for ‘more space’ and totally not because you think I much more fun than Violetpool.” Heavymurmer suddenly sits up straight sending the pulp covered bark flying “ ‘Oh look at me I'm Violetpool! Heavymurmer! Don’t have fun! Thumpbranch, are you sure the herbs should be this bitter? Softheart! Did you know that I’m the boss of everything since im a-” A pause as he waves a paw dramatically into the air “ _ ‘Warrior?’ _ ”

Thumpbranch shakes his head withholding a small smirk “ Come on now Heavymurmer, don’t throw my stuff around like that I need to make sure the fox didn’t infect you with even more mouse brain than you already have crammed up in your head.” he gets back to work on applying the soft pulp to Heavymurmers scratches.

“Sorry Eveningkit, did you need anything?” 

“Uh… Yeah I guess so. I-” she flicks her tail to think “Did Mutestar die or... am  **I** crammed full of mouse brains?”

Heavymurmer chokes on a laugh and starts to cough. Thumpbranch only rolls soft brown eyes “Aye, she did... but she also didn’t. As our leader she has a very special gift from StarClan.” Thumpbranch walks across the den to toss the leftover herb pulp “With their blessing Mutestar has nine lives, each one to give to her clan. Today that is what she did, she gave a life back to StarClan so she could help her clan.”

Eveningkit nods thinking she understood, maybe. “I guess that's good. I'm glad she’s ok”

“Yes we all are, I know it’s still scary to watch something like that happen to a fellow clanmate, even one who is protected by StarClan. You handled yourself well today.”

Eveningkit and Heavymurmer, chatter to each other for a while after as Thumpbranch mostly quietly tidies up the area. The sun was just starting to set where beams of light lit up the inside of the den.

The three hear Waxwhisker outside, he’s calling a clan meeting. Exiting the storage, Eveningkit sits outside between the two tom’s looking up to Mutestar who is sat on top of the hollow log exit. Waxwhisker sat close by.

To Eveningkit’s surprise Mutestar spoke up for the meeting.

“My clanmates, in light of today I have called this meeting. We have recently named two new excellent warriors Heavymurmer and Violetpool. It’s time to bring new apprentices into training.”

Eveningkit’s tabby coat bristled with excitement, this was what they meant! They were going to make her an apprentice!

Mutestar strains her claws in and out, silent before she looks to Waxwhisker. Her deputy Continues on for her “With that said we will be naming new apprentices tonight! Rotkit and Houndkit please step forth.”

The two siblings hurry their way to the middle of the clearing sitting up proudly “Houndkit and Rotkit! From this day forth you will be named Houndpaw and Rotpaw, you will be trained by Moldpelt and Songchaser respectively. May their seasons as skilled warriors be passed down onto you two.”

Each is met by their new mentors, Rotpaw with Songchaser, the dark tabby she cat was sister to Mutestar. just as elegant looking but with a much more open energy to her. Houndpaw, to Moldpelt. A senior she-cat who has broad shoulders for a Loyalclan cat with her dusty brown fur lined with bits of green moss that looks like it has grown into her fur. 

The clan cheers for the new apprentices.

Mutestar looks down to Eveningkit with those now familiar eyes, it was her turn.

“Eveningkit! You will be Eveningpaw. I will be training you from here onward. May StarClan guide our path together and I will be able to teach you all I can during your apprenticeship.” her voice loud for the camp to hear, but still feeling so directed at her. Like their own personal conversation away from everyone else. The energy of her words sparked through her coat. Eveningpaw has herself onto the log next to Mutestar before she even tells her paws to move. The two touch noses for only a mere moment, and Eveningpaw feels her heart flourish. The sound of her clan mates cheering her name like a roar in her ears. 

She was an apprentice, Mutestars apprentice. The two were going to have an unmatched relationship of mentor and apprentice. She could feel it. 


End file.
